Zero:The soul of a hero
by Archaon
Summary: MMZ,MMX elements. Starting just before the end of the Elf wars, this story includes the rise and corruption of Neo Arcadia, the awakening of Zero and the fate of everybody else, old and new. Novelization of the Zero series. Reaching the giant mech soon!
1. Hell and hope

Welcome everybody! This story attempts to connect the Megaman X and Megaman Zero universes and then continue on the Zero storyline. This first introductory chapter is placed before the end of the Elf Wars, as described in the Megaman Zero games, and long after MMX8 and Command Mission.

After many years I decided to go back and rewrite parts of this story. Thus what follows is the revised first chapter. Keep in mind that this story might not take into account some details revealed in Zero 4, Megaman ZX or the Physis album. Also, in an effort to write an interesting story, I may add or alter many events seen in the games.

**-n-t-g- **

**Chapter 1: Hell and hope**

The sun was late to rise, as if to avoid facing the scene below. Somebody gifted with a healthy amount of imagination could perhaps assume it had once been a grand, technologically advanced city. Currently, it was a little more than shattered rubble. The once proud spires were reduced to random piles of rocks and debris. The once translucent glass skywalks were nothing more than glistering ruins. Most importantly, formerly sentient, dissected beings, humans and reploids alike, were scattered everywhere, withering away with nobody to offer them a proper burial, a grim reminder of the devastation war caused.

Not everything in this wasteland was devoid of life. A small squad was among the scrap piles, consisted of both humans and reploids, all of them heavily armed and armored, though physically and mentally weary. They had selected a secure position among carcasses of demolished buildings and vehicles, being virtually invisible from every side except perhaps from above, trying to catch their breath and regain their strength.

A single reploid had chosen to sit away from the others, apparently lost in thought, though he hadn't dared to remove his azure and white plain battle armor. Said armor must have once been shiny, but now it was reduced to a mess of dents and scorches, stained with red liquid in many places. Much of it belonged to the armor's owner and he frankly didn't care anymore. His thoughts were far more painful than the wounds on his artificial body.

_How much longer do we have to fight? Is there an end to war? I once wanted to believe it, but now…_

"Oh, yes, the world is so gloomy I just **have** to sit here alone and bleed myself to death."

The voice that interrupted his thoughts belonged to another reploid in red, white and black armor sporting long, blond hair, who brazenly intruded upon the first reploid's intended solitude.

"This is not funny, Zero", replied the unwilling warrior.

"Of course it is not, X. But sitting there and mourning like that will help no one. Especially if you die in the process."

"Just look at these corpses. How many victims? How many lives have been snuffed? It doesn't matter if they are humans, reploids or even cyber-elves. When I try to think how many reploids **I** have terminated with those very hands, even if they were enemies, I..."

He could not finish his words, wanting to just collapse there and cry. His eyes denied him even that release. He had already shed too many tears in this last war.

The crimson reploid sighed and sat next to his precious friend and partner. His armor was equally, if not more, damaged and dirty, but his mood was lighter.

"All of us have done things that we are not proud of", he started, a shadow passing before his face but quickly vanishing. "But you must not forget the reason we fight for. You are Megaman X Light, for crying out loud! Earth's greatest champion and savior! If we just sat back and did nothing, many more would have died. And everybody would become a slave to that maniac, Weil."

"You can't just blame everything on him, you know. We all are..."

The blue bomber coughed and fresh artificial blood wetted his armored hand.

"Damn it, X. Let me treat that wound. It is obvious your repair systems cannot heal it fast enough."

"It is only a scratch. You should mind the others first. Lamtha was shot by a heavy pulse cannon and that human, Pierrot, is hurt too."

Zero frowned. "X! If this is your way to commit suicide, I won't allow it. You were stabbed by a freaking beam blade up to the hilt and your subtanks are empty. The fact that you change armors faster than I slash my sword doesn't mean the interior damage you have suffered will just go away! Stop fooling around and let me see it", he demanded.

X reluctantly complied. He phased out his body armor with a thought, now wearing only a white undershirt. The action caused him to cringe with pain. As soon as Zero saw the grievous wound, he swore a profane curse and picked up his healing kit.

"I can't see how you can even move around after such a nasty stab", he mused, his fingers moving with decades of expertise. He injected some extra nanomachines inside his friend's body to aid his innate repair systems and speed up the regeneration process, then applied bandages to both the hole just under his chest and the exiting point at his back. After the bleeding was suppressed, he started treating the other numerous but less serious wounds.

X obviously wanted to state a question, but he hesitated for a long while, resulting in an uneasy silence. He eventually found the mental strength to speak. "Zero, do you think we can actually achieve peace through our actions? Do you still have a will to fight? I once thought we had the power to stop conflict, but I'm not sure anymore."

The red Maverick hunter stopped for a while, as if to mentally consult himself. A moment later he resumed his task while answering. "X, listen to what you say. The corpses you see around you would have never been born without us. We have saved this world many times and we can do it again. Sigma is finally destroyed for eternity, or at least the millenium he needs to collect his component particles. After so many wars we did it. Of course peace can be achieved. But bear in mind that wanting to maintain peace for infinity is a futile, a fairytale. We just have to make sure that the peaceful intervals are as long as possible and that means vigilance. As for me, I will continue to fight for as long as I can make a difference, for as long as I can see an enemy and for as long as there is somebody I can protect. Weil is just one more obstacle that separates us from peace."

A minute later, Zero had finished his work and X had recalled his cyan armor. "There. You are almost as good as new. Cheer up a bit. The kiddo is coming. You don't want to shatter his mood with that sour face."

"Axl is not a kid anymore. We have been side by side for what? Eighty years? A century?"

Zero smirked. "Axl will always be a loud brat, X. He will never stop being a kid, however mature he might grow. That's the main reason we keep him around."

"HEY GUYS. I know we have been through hell, but don't let it bother you. Soon, we will find that wanker, Weil, and I will personally kick his butt to the next galaxy. Just you wait, Weil!", shouted said reploid from afar, swinging his fist in the air, his navy-black armor damaged yet still shinny.

X sighed, though Axl's presence seemed to lift some of the weight from his shoulders. He actually managed to show a smile, though marred by bitterness. "I can see what you mean, Zero. But I truly believe he feels every bit as depressed as my sorry self does, though he manages to hide it a lot better."

"He has a point though. This war is almost over. In a couple of days we will reach Weil's flying fortress. His army and his plans lay in pieces because of our struggles. The only major problem we will have to face is that monstrosity, Omega."

"Do you think we can succeed?", asked X meekly.

Anger was now evident in Zero's voice. "Of course not. Not when you are in such a pathetic state, X. Wake up! Don't let that damn war break you. Everyone in our team looks up to you."

"I'm nobody's idea of a leader, Zero. You are much more qualified for that. You have been helping me from the very beginning. In fact, you have done more than I ever could."

Zero rolled his eyes. "You just don't get it, do you? Not only our squad, but everyone, be it human or reploid, is ready to follow your lead. When this mess is over, I bet everyone will want **you, **the legendary S class Maverick hunter and fighter of justice, to lead them into prosperity. You know much better than I do that there are battles that are not fought with weapons. Either way, don't you dare betray their trust, our trust X. You represent hope. If you let us down, I will kill you myself."

Zero rose forcefully and attempted to leave, but a white-gloved hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned and saw X standing up, his eyes closed and downcast. But then he raised his head and smiled. Zero barely managed to hide his elation, for in those emerald eyes he saw a spark of determination that had not been present for quite a long time.

"Thank you, Zero. I have yet again been such a fool. I don't know what I would have done without you...", he confessed sincerely.

"You would have died hundreds of times, of course. And the same goes for me, too. I..."

He suddenly staggered and nearly lost his balance as he placed his hand on one hip and grimaced painfully.

X reached out and supported him and Axl soon joined. "Hey, X. Haven't you helped Zero yet? I gave him a med kit to heal himself, but it seems he is just too damn stubborn."

"Nothing really serious. Just some superficial..."

"As hell it is. Don't listen to him, X. I was covering his back in that last battle and I actually messed up. He was fighting with six blade-wielding opponents at the same time while protecting that little human girl. He must have been hit numerous times."

"I remind you that my self-repair systems are much more efficient than any of yours. These wounds will heal in no time."

X was now really serious. "Remove your armor, Zero.'

"I told you..."

"Now, Zero", demanded X

"Yes, mother." As soon as the crimson armor disappeared, the jaws of both X and Axl nearly hit the ground. The red bomber's body would be in place in any reploid anatomy manual. Much of his inner workings were blatantly visible.

"Sweet mother of pearl, Zero! How are you even conscious?" gasped X, trying very hard not to avert his eyes.

Zero tried to sound cocky. "It's not as bad as it seems. You should have seen the other guys. You can save the kit for someone that really needs it. Our supplies are low and these things don't grow on trees", he said, a forced smile on his face.

"You can't be serious, Zero. This is a complete mess. I don't even know from where to start, man", said Axl frustrated.

"How could you treat **me** when you were in such a condition? This is ten times worse", added X mortified, his visage indicating he expected his friend to kneel and die where he stood.

"I told you it is not a great deal. I can take it and more."

"Yeah, man. You can take it to a grave perhaps."

X was furious now. "Zero you idiotic ass. And you blamed me for being suicidal. Just... just stand still. This will take quite a while."

After Zero left grumbling and a whole lot healthier, Axl turned to X.

"You seem a different person, X. I must confess I was really worried about you since we camped here. And everybody else has been equally worried. But something like a miracle must have happened. Don't let this war get to you, X. We need you."

"Thank you, Axl. Your words mean a lot to me. And, yes, miracles do happen. Most of the time, we are just too blind to notice them." He turned and stared at his crimson friend's back as he walked away, still grumbling.

_I will do it father. With my friends' help, I will create and maintain the world of peace you had always hoped for._

**-n-t-g-**

He entered the room, tired and vexed. He had been born human, but after years of DNA manipulation and machine replacements, his body was anything but. Still, for the last months, sleep often eluded him and the toll on his psyche was heavy. At first it had been simple. Kidnapping the mother elf and infecting her with a special strain of the Zero Virus. That had removed her free will and had made partial replication feasible.

It had been way too simple for Dr. Cornelius Weil. He had been part of project Elpis that produced the mother elf and destroyed the Sigma Virus in the first place. It had been even easier to raise an army. Many humans and reploids supported him and his family's grand legacy did not hurt. Why, he had marginally lost Arcadia's Supreme Governor seat during the last elections. Those that opposed him were bribed, threatened, brainwashed, blackmailed or terminated, at first under great secrecy.

Weil poured himself a glass of high quality brandy as he sat down on the lofty priceless Indian sofa. As much as he wanted to return to his research, he was aware of his limits.

When the time to step out of the proverbial closet had come, he had been unstoppable. His armies dominated land, air, water and Cyberspace. He had launched preemptive strikes against most of the earth's military forces, including the Maverick Hunters. He had raided research centers for advanced technology and had combined it with his own remarkable achievements.

As he let the drink grace his taste buds, he closed his eyes and let a deep sigh. He would soon have to replace one of his eyes with a cybernetic one for his vision was dimming.

In the end, he had underestimated the Maverick Hunters. Perhaps it was because he had been working too close to them during the last Sigma war. Perhaps when pushed to their limit, they had become more formidable than ever. Perhaps he had believed that because a portion of his army consisted of humans, they would hold back lest they were declared mavericks. At first that had been true, but later the crumbling and desperate Megacity Central Council had specifically announced that no reploid killing enemy humans during the war would be labeled as such.

Ultimately, it wasn't really the Hunters posing a problem. "X and Zero", he growled towards the exquisitely decorated walls of his private quarters. The now empty glass shattered in his grip. In the end, the two ancient androids had been his undoing. After years of war, they had led his enemies with terrifying efficiency. He had lost count of supporting facilities, flagships, war machines and armies they had personally demolished.

The deranged scientist peered out of the room's reinforced window, towards the vast deserts left in war's wake. They were out there and they were coming for him. After reaching so close to world domination, he was now left with virtual breadcrumbs. The flying fortress he was currently inside, the remains of his once glorious army that rode with him, two times that many hostages, used both as slave labor and as a missile shield after the fortress's systems had fizzled away, a couple safehouses around the globe that were currently of little use and Omega.

Weil managed a small smile at that. Omega was his greatest creation, incorporating many kinds of innovative technology inside the body of a majestic reploid. Omega was the only resource that had successfully hindered the two elite maverick hunters, occasionally forcing them to retreat.

"I only need a little more time. A little more time to completely incorporate the mother elf to Omega's systems. When they come for me, Omega will destroy them. Without X and Zero, I will be able to safely retreat and rebuild my armies."

As on cue, a servant drone entered the room. "Master Weil, the repulsion capacitors are almost empty. We need to land to allow the solar collectors to recharge them."

While he often thought himself to be above displays of mindless rage, Weil debated the therapeutic value of smashing everything in sight to bits. Breathing hard for a few seconds, he calmed down and conceived a plan. "Notify general August to come here at once. I have a mission for him and his regime. Also, take steps to prepare half of our slave population for disembarking", he ordered.

The drone saluted and left, leaving the would-be conqueror to his thoughts. He needed time and after a long string of sabotages, his levitating fortress needed extra time to recharge and resume flying. An appropriate bait would appeal to his enemy's morals and slow them down, giving him time to finish augmenting Omega.

Weil stretched and allowed himself a yawn before returning to his main laboratory. Rest could wait; he still had a world to take over.

**End of chapter 1**

**-n-t-g-**

Revision notes: In addition to improving the first part, I also wrote the Weil segment from scratch. It not only helps giving a different point of view, it also offers some of the Elf Wars' background information. While there is no indication other humans supported Weil, it is entirely possible. Not only were the Elf Wars the most destructive in the whole Megaman mythos, they also caused many moral lines to be crossed. I gave Weil the first name Cornelius because I can…

Also, I just noticed that much of my format and scene dividers are gone... I'll have to fix them as I go.


	2. Strife and sacrifice

**Chapter 2: Strife and Sacrifice**

**-n-t-g-**

"This is squad A. Report on the enemy's situation. Over."

"_Squad B here. The flying fortress is currently on the ground. We are not close enough to see clearly, Over."_

"_Squad C speaking. We are closer to Weil's fortress. We met light resistance, but we prevailed. No serious injuries, no losses. The fortress is apparently recharging its energy capacitors. They will need approximately four hours. Over."_

"This is squad A, X speaking. Squad B, rendezvous with squad C. Squad C, hold your positions. We will be there soon. Squad D, do you copy? Over."

_"Squad D here. We read you loud and clear. We have a problem, X. We spied a large unit of enemy forces, five minutes from our position. They hold hostages, over."_

"Report numbers and status squad D, over."

_"There are at least two hundred hostages, humans and reploids. Women and children, too. The enemy unit includes fifty regular reploids armed with class C standard equipment, five custom ones, one hundred class D assault drones, long range artillery and a large, crab-like mechaniloid. Number of cyber-elves unknown. They are barricaded on top of a low hill and are keeping the hostages surrounded, over."_

"Stand by, squad D."

X turned a grave face towards his comrades.

"This is a trap, you know", noted Axl, his face equally grave.

"Thanks for stating the obvious, Axl", chided Zero, frowning all the while. "Of course it's a trap. Weil is using a portion of the hostages aboard his fortress to distract us. Ever since he ran out of ways to avoid our missile strikes, he has been keeping hostages as a shield instead. Otherwise, we would have blown him to kingdom come already."

"The question is, do we swallow the bait?"

X closed his eyes and spoke. "There is no dilemma here Axl. We all know that and Weil knows it too. I will not place lives on the balance. Especially after the casualties of this war. We will go save them and ignore the fortress for a while."

Everybody nodded at their leader, fully understanding his feelings, although the notion of letting the ruthless tyrant escape once again would only cause them nausea. However much they wanted to rush forward and attack, Weil would have to wait.

"This is X. To all squads, override last orders. Everybody will gather at squad D's position, over."

"_Roger."_

"We can't leave them back, everyone. Do your best. Over and out."

"What about the other squads? Four are marginally adequate for such a force", commented Axl, not really worried but focused nonetheless.

Zero shook his head. "They are too far to reach in time, or even hear us, Axl." After Weil had managed to decrypt and exploit any and all communication efforts, they had decided to maintain regular radio silence indefinitely. Instead, they were forced to use a special tight-beam signal that was impossible to intercept. The drawbacks were crude one-way communication that forced them to take turns while talking and relatively short range.

Axl was not one to feel depressed for a long time. "Alright, then. Cheer up everyone. We will rescue the hostages as fast as possible and then we will pay a visit to Dr. crapface and Mr. giant hideous. YEAH!", he declared, referring to Weil and Omega respectively.

Zero chuckled, the black tiger's mood being infectious. "Next time, shout a bit louder, Axl. I think Weil didn't hear the first part clearly."

"Whatever...", groused Axl, mockingly pouting.

X managed to smile, despite himself. While one would argue his partners' antics were ill-suited for a battlefield, he found they were the only thing keeping his sanity relatively intact. _Without them, I could have never found the power to continue. Father, if you can hear me, I will do my best to end this madness._

**-n-t-g-**

The soldier was definitely intimidated by the reploid standing before him, his lightweight, dark-violet armor feeling tight on his frame. It wasn't every day you had to face a legend that many, regardless of loyalty, feared.

"I h-have a report, commander Zero."

The crimson hunter sighed, his hand instinctively reaching to massage his right temple. This war needed closely bonded partners not submissive subordinates. "First of all, drop the commander part, at least while nobody else pays attention. You are Tone, right?"

"Yes, sir." Although Zero's response served to eliminate his nervous stuttering, the lightly-armored reploid was still visibly tense, his eyes fidgety under his black visor. The fact his superior was two full heads taller didn't exactly help things.

"Relax Tone. You should be more anxious about the battle at hand. Just call me Zero and give me that fragging report."

The shorter reploid was stunned for a while, but recovered soon. "Yes, Zero", he started as calmly as he could muster. "Our stealth troopers have already placed the four shield generators around the hostages, who are also informed. Everybody is in position. We have successfully sabotaged their heavy cannons without being noticed. The shield should last at least thirty minutes."

"Sweet! I knew hauling around these things would pay off in the end. That will be more than enough, Tone. Thank you."

"My pleasure, si...Zero."

"And Tone."

"Yes?"

"Don't die."

The shorter reploid actually smiled a bit. "I never intended to, sir."

**-n-t-g-**

The sentient soldiers around the hostages were grim. They fully understood their role as bait, as a means to buy Weil some time, and the aggravatingly low value their lives held because of that fact. Being over the edge, they nearly depressed their triggers reflexively when they heard a loud explosion from the south. Their leader, General August, towering above everybody else, tried to maintain a semblance of order despite their abysmal morale.

Initially, he had considered sending out a couple scouts, but then he changed his mind. It wasn't a matter of whether the enemy was present; it was a matter of how they would choose to attack. "Those with an odd number go and investigate. The others hold your position and man the cannons. Stay alert!" he ordered, his voice and face perfectly neutral.

Half of the unit ran south, disappearing into a thick veil of smoke, supposedly produced by the explosion.

It was then the commander realized the veil was far too thick and persistent, following its own movement patterns instead of being tamed by the slow breeze. "Retreat! fall back. It is a trap." He shouted to his comm unit urgently.

"We can't reach them, General. This smoke is disrupting our signal bands. It's blocking both vision and communication."

Weil's last commander frowned. "There is only one way then. Fire the artillery cannons at will!"

"But our soldiers..."

"They are dead, anyway. Just do.."

His mask of cold resignation was soon replaced by surprise, as he was interrupted by many smaller explosions coming from behind him.

"What in the name of God and Light is going on here?" he demanded.

"The cannons exploded as soon as we primed them. It's sabotage", answered a simple soldier that had barely survived the rigged weapons' detonation, her face blackened and one of her arms missing.

General August looked ready to throttle somebody, his calm game face failing him. "All able men, get close to the hostages. We will snipe the enemy with them as cover," he decided after a long while of deliberation.

The hostage's area was full of smoke and dust from the rigged cannons, but the remaining soldiers ignored that fact and rushed to execute their orders anyway. That stopped very soon, when one of the troopers was thrown out of the cloud, visibly shocked, rampant energy dancing all over his frame.

Everybody stood and stared as the smoke cleared to reveal a potent forcefield that had risen around the hostages, effectively protecting them from any but the most powerful of assaults.

**-n-t-g-**

The other half of Weil's soldiers ignored the unusually thick screen of smoke and rushed to the south. As soon as the last came through, they heard a muffled scream from behind that caused them to stop cold on their tracks. They turned and saw six of their comrades lying on the sandy ground, hacked to pieces and obviously quite dead. Among them, stood a lone crimson reploid, holding a sizzling light saber, sand still pouring from the crevices of his armor. Zero had been hiding under the ground like the ruthless predator he was.

As the soldiers numbly raised their weapons, he grinned. "I must be rusting. The sixth one managed to scream", he mused, his demeanor more fitting to somebody talking about the weather instead of one staring down a small army by himself.

The dumbfounded soldiers were stunned and slow to react, terrified before a reputed legend that had appeared before them in flesh and blood... Metaphorically speaking.

"Hey, can you really afford to be distracted?" asked Zero chuckling, cockily spinning his live blade in a tantalizing pattern.

As on cue, several reploids and drones were shot down by a massive volley of fire, courtesy Zero's allies, who had just successfully flanked them. Nearly one third of their ranks were decimated in the ambush before the rest managed to find cover. The skirmish soon degenerated to a chaotic battle, everybody seemingly fighting everybody else.

**-n-t-g-**

Three reploids were hidden behind a great truck carcass, waiting for some unfortunate target to walk by, not really thrilled to face open battle. They heard the noise of metal scraping, but reacted too slow. A fiery object pierced a hole cleanly through the truck, hardly slowing, smashing all three of them to oblivion.

X, wearing his Ultimate armor, halted his airborne Nova strike and regarded his latest victims or what was left of them, praying for them to whatever god might listen. He suddenly heard a trigger being pulled and turned to see an energy rifle squarely fixed on his person, a vicious energy bolt attempting to claim a head many others had failed to. Not fast enough to dodge, he braced himself to endure the shot. Instead, he heard an explosion and a rain of machine parts fell around, producing a dry rattle. Zero had tossed a squirming droid he had just eviscerated right in front of X, somehow intercepting the shot and blocking it with his makeshift projectile.

Not one to lose a chance, X formed his X-buster and fired a multitude of electric shots to the would-be sniper, leaving the ground and taking to the air again before his enemy exploded in a pseudo-nuclear reaction, his energy core fried and failing accordingly.

Zero smirked and resumed his grim task. He dashed among five droids, cutting all of them at waist height in what seemed a single, fluid motion, then lowered his blade at the feet of a very surprised reploid. He promptly leaped high in the air, his Z-saber ignited with bright orange fire, severing his opponent clearly in half and sending a wave than incinerated more. While airborne, he used his thrusters to avoid the shower of enemy fire, deflecting the few lucky shots back to the gunners with his blade and wrecking havoc among the enemy ranks.

As he fell to the ground, his saber crackling with energy and turned downwards, he made sure it hit the dry land first, releasing a halo-shaped, expanding electric shockwave, which stunned everybody around him. Their fate was quickly and brutally decided.

The crimson hunter turned abruptly to block a storm of large pulse spheres trained on him, also deflecting them back to their source, but this time hitting nothing. Engaging in a rather creative and descriptive string of profanity, he dodged another salvo, fluidly sidestepping in the least predictable manner. His enemies were conveniently barricaded behind the remains of an ancient but heavily reinforced wall. Before he could conjure any kind of counter-strategy, he heard a cacophony of screams, then saw Tone emerging from behind the wall, beam scythe activated, accompanied by a larger figure, his face decorated with a smug smile.

**-n-t-g-**

Behind a mountain of scrap metal, a large reploid commander, his body seemingly stuck between the form of a human and that of a tiger, managed to rally a dozen riflemen, backed up by some droids.

"We can still take them if we remain united and fight as a coherent force. And we need to contact General August. I'm surprised they haven't started firing the cannons yet." His voice held a kind of regal authority that could inspire the most jaded of soldiers.

His subordinates nodded grimly, the swift pep talk doing wonders for their ailing morale. The commander then turned to his closest henchman, a reploid he had learned to trust.

"Still no word from the others?" He was surprised to see the person that stood right next to him a second ago was missing. In his place, there was a small humming device. Scanning his surroundings, he saw the reploid in question standing many meters away, grinning like an idiot. Before he could think of a reaction, Axl morphed back to his original form and the potent bomb in the middle of the small team exploded.

As the black tiger attempted to leave, he ducked a rather vicious ion shot. He turned and saw the ragged commander still standing, one of his hands severed, revealing sizzling circuitry, the other holding a massive ion rifle.

"You will pay for this deception", he snarled, firing beams at gattling rate.

Axl easily dodged the frantic attempt and peppered the wounded commander with rapid shots of his own, using both pistols and disregarding all safety protocols in favor of tackling his opponent that had just gone berserk.

"Everything is allowed in love and war, ugly. Why don't you just give up. You might even be spared." Both were aware Axl was bluffing, of course, but what had once been the youngest star of the Maverick Hunters still loved to talk the good talk.

It only took one more shot to cause the superheated ion rifle to explode, filling the area with smoke. As Axl retreated, the commander dashed out of the cloud, scoring a glancing hit at him. He cringed as he saw the fist, full with energy claws spouting from his knuckles, connecting with the ground and demolishing a granite slate, leaving a massive crater on the otherwise resilient surface.

"Some people just don't know when to quit", exclaimed the black hunter as he danced around the lightning barrage of fists and claws, wisely avoiding all of them. A full five seconds later, he had to morph his hand and pistol into an energy blade that blocked the claws just before they could part him from his head. They both struggled for a while, Axl matching the much larger enemy's strength but doing little more.

A moment later, twin gigantic orbs of energy blasted the maddened reploid from his weak side, shredding him to pieces. Axl sighed in relief and turned to the source but not before snipping down an overconfident would-be sniper that had tried to take advantage of the confusing melee.

"Are you alright, Axl?" asked X, as he stopped to catch his breath, his buster barrel slightly smoking.

Axl gingerly walked towards his friend, constantly scanning the area for more hidden assailants.

"He was a tough one, just slow as molasses. I am hardly hurt, but thanks, anyway", he responded sighing.

"It seems the battle here is almost over. After a short break, we'll tackle the other half."

At that moment, a voiced boomed behind them, causing them both to jump and frantically dodge at a random direction. "BANG-BANG. You are both dead."

They turned to see Zero, standing on a mountain of ruins behind them, his smirk threatening to split his face.

"Damn you, Zero. You scared my control unit out of its socket!" shouted Axl, too happy to see his friend to actually feel angry.

"Serves you right for letting your guard down like that."

X managed to smile, if only slightly. "What are the chances to hear you sneaking behind us, Zero? A ninja you most certainly are. I think you are overestimating us", he joked.

"Spare me the modesty X," responded Zero while casually lifting a blade to block and deflect the shot of another sniper, neutralizing her with her own bolt without even deigning to turn and face her. "Since we are such a kickass team, we had no casualties, though there are some injured soldiers. As soon as they are treated, we will go get the others. We have twenty minutes left before the barrier drops."

Axl turned to the east and frowned. A huge metallic castle was visible quite a distance away. It seemed as though it was firmly rooted to the ground, but everybody knew it wouldn't be there in a few hours. Weil's flying fortress.

The black tiger felt a hand on his shoulder. "Forget about him for now, Axl. We will get him in due time. That old geezer will fall soon."

Axl turned a faint smile to Zero whose expression was now completely somber.

"Correct. He can't keep evading us forever. For now we must concentrate on freeing the hostages. It might actually be better to know there are less innocent people on that flying castle before we board it."

Zero nodded at X's words and Axl sighed. They then started leaving, intending to meet the rest of their small army and hasten things as much as possible.

"I WON'T LET YOU!" A brand new tiger commander leaped on them, trying to crash them where they stood, both hands intact and claws posed to slaughter. He was simultaneously hit by a lightning saber, a booming buster and two crackling pistols, rendered quite dead before he hit the ground.

"What the hell!" shouted Axl flabbergasted. "How many lives does this brute have?"

Zero shook his head with disgust. "That was a complete waste. I feel sorry for his cyber-elf. It sacrificed itself to return him to life for about two seconds."

**-n-t-g-**

General August tried to regain his calm. After five minutes, he had ordered his soldiers to quit trying to nullify the protective barrier and to conserve their strength for the impending clash instead.

"We still have the advantage of higher ground", he declared, trying to raise their plummeting spirits, to showcase a tiny silver lining.

As on cue a mighty earthquake roared beneath them, followed by a variety of explosions and energy discharges. As he struggled to hold his balance, he watched in disbelief as the ground in front of them started rising higher. Before that, they had been standing on a small but substantial hill. Now a new, higher mound was forming before his very eyes, caused by a massive wave of soil, rocks and debris that had somehow turned rogue. Eventually, the new hill's slope elevated above the older hill's top. Before he could regain control of his speech functions, a wave of warriors rushed from the top of the newly formed hill, their weapons blazing, in effect reversing his alleged higher ground advantage.

Behind the hill, Zero had just stopped pounding the ground with his knuckles to create continuous waves of energy, X had just halted moving rocks with his Ground Dash and Axl had just quitted firing his gravity disrupting rounds.

"You mad scheme worked, Zero. We have gained a slight edge", said Axl excited.

"Mere battlefield manipulation, adjusted to our particular capabilities", mocked Zero. "X, would you mind leading the way?"

X nodded solemnly, obviously not quite sharing his companions' battle-lust, and donned his Ultimate armor again, rushing right into the hill, the massive energy released by his Nova strike easily drilling through the newly created geological feature. Zero and Axl dashed just behind him, exploiting the temporary tunnel before it collapsed again.

Though Weil's last commander had almost managed to rally his subordinates against the wave of lesser enemies, the general panic turned into pure chaos, as the three heroes emerged out of yet another debris explosion, falling on his remaining army like eagles on stunned mice.

Axl kept moving around the sea of mindless droids, their AI inadequate to match his dashing speed and floating airborne maneuvers. Their heads were blasted before their processors could evaluate a course of action, forcing their bodies to shut down. As dust enveloped him, he emerged with a changed form, using an energy chain attached on his hand to decapitate the rest of his dimwitted opponents. Reverting to his original form, he launched a salvo of mini-missiles against a pair of large mole mechaniloids hidden in the ground, saving some of his comrades from certain demise.

X continued air-dashing close to the ground at top speed, engaging his Nova strike at every chance, bashing his adversaries into pieces and occasionally firing fully charged shots at any viable target. The variety of the barrage prevented anyone from formulating any kind of counter-attack, obviously being more interested in dodging the blue bomber's vast repertoire that included but was not limited to electric discharges, fireballs, icebolts, bombs, propelled spicks, plasma blades, energy spheres, spinning scissors, homing missiles and gravity wells. He kept cycling though his arsenal at random, remembering the painful past that fueled his rage.

The crimson menace, Zero, was dashing frantically, slashing at any possible target from any possible or impossible angle, while sending crescent waves of pure super-condensed energy to anywhere his blade could not reach. His path of destruction led him close to the crackling forcefield that protected the hostages. As he momentarily came to a halt, his back inches from the barrier, five competent reploid swordsmen grabbed the opportunity to surround him in a place he could not maneuver freely. As they all tried to jab him with their fierce beam blades, he leaped backwards towards the energy wall. The blades touched the wall and fizzled, their circuits temporarily fried. Zero slammed the superior weapon he held in his left arm on the field, which was nearly disrupted, then gained momentum towards the opposite direction, somersaulting above the stunned reploids and landing smoothly behind them. It only took them a tiny fragment of a second to turn around.

A fragment of a second was too much against Zero. An instant later, their fading circuits registered their death, while the hunter was long gone, seeking new prey.

**-n-t-g-**

The rest of the attackers seized the opportunity and quickly dispatched anybody who was foolishly stunned by the trinity assault. These four squads consisted of war veterans, reploids and humans that had spent the last three years fighting and surviving alongside the three legendary maverick hunters. Even the few rookies were more than capable of defending themselves, while causing devastating damage.

Tone, the reploid that had helped Zero before, and his far bulkier brother, Pulse, were ready to create a legend for themselves, leading the rest of their squad and cutting down a path towards the enemy leader. The commander wore a massive black and silver armor over his imposing but humanlike form, featuring a cannon on each shoulder. He held twin orange plasma blades, unusually long and wide, faintly resembling giant machetes. As the wave of soldiers approached him, handily mowing down his ever- diminishing charges, he slammed one of his blades on the ground, creating a shockwave at ankle's height. Tone and Pulse jumped to avoid it, while the rest were not so lucky, finding themselves blasted away.

General August smiled wickedly. "You seem like decent opponents compared to that rubble, but you're still no match for me."

Tone scowled. "None of us is a walking legend yet, but we can still take you. Be grateful. With that face of yours, few others would."

He produced an expanding silver quarterstaff, a brilliant blue energy sickle blade erupting from its business end, while his brother, phased in the four cannons of his emerald armor along with two more pistols, one in each hand.

"You are boasting too much yet again, Tone. Keep your taunts for after we win," admonished Pulse as he started charging all six weapons asynchronously, firing a rapid barrage of charged shots.

The commander blocked the sickle with his right blade, more than matching Tone's strength and handling his left sword with stunning speed, he deflected most of Pulse's salvo. Those shots that did connect caused no real damage, just some minor scorches and dents.

"Don't be a wet blanket, bro. We… almost… have him." Tone, visibly and audibly straining, valiantly pressed his opponent to no avail, while Pulse charged all six cannons at the same time. The violet reploid knew that his strength was no match for the behemoth he faced, but he and his brother had wisely learnt to fight in tandem. If he could endure a little longer, Pulse would release his Final attack, where six individual charged shots would merge in a single powerful one.

The General, though, was no novice. As soon as he heard Pulse's cannons halting, he abruptly released his right sword and ducked, delivering a sweeping kick to Tone. Having already lost his balance, the smallish reploid literally took flight, losing the ground from under his feet. The commander chuckled as he fired both of his shoulder cannons at the same time the energy left Pulse's ones. The first shot landed squarely on Pulse, throwing him backwards. The second bolt propelled Tone in the path of his brother's hyper-charged shot. Fortunately for his continued existence, he only took a glancing hit, the rest of the energy deflected upwards, then crashed on Pulse, rendering them both barely conscious.

"Told you…"

"Shut up, Pulse", replied Tone groaning, his systems trying to repair the sudden damage.

As the enemy commander raised his swords to finish them, he blinked as two very familiar objects hit the ground.

Both of his shoulder cannons.

"Lost something?" He turned and saw a grinning Zero, blade displayed in his left hand, right hand fingers goading him to attack.

Fuming, the General acted as if he was ready to dash towards Zero in rage. He then smiled and turned abruptly to deliver the finishing blow on the brothers.

Only to be acquainted with one of X's charged Spike Balls.

He was thrown into a garbage heap, his armor severely damaged but far from destroyed. As he stood straight once again, the enemy leader saw an inconceivably fast emerald blade ready to claim his life. He haphazardly blocked Zero's casual hit, then launched an offense before realizing his crimson clad enemy had slipped behind him.

"Your are quite fast for your size, beautiful", taunted Zero.

"You must be Zero. I am General August and I will not let you reach Master Weil," declared the commander, his voice full of confidence he didn't really feel. He tried to take the offensive again, but Zero mocked his efforts with lazy supremacy, chatting nonchalantly all the while.

"I'm really curious what lies Weil has offered you for reward...", he mused thoughtfully.

The commander barely dodged a slice that would have cleaved him in two neat and symmetrical fragments. "The likes of you would never understand", he snarled in response, producing a small charged cannon from the side of his armor.

"Try me. I mean, other enemies wanted to create a world only for reploids. While I still stopped them, I did respect their point of view. But what can Weil do? He is just a ruthless and egotistical wreck of a human", retaliated the red warrior verbally, while casually severing the small cannon, which exploded in the air behind its previous owner.

"He is my creator and he will reward me. That is all I need to know", snapped the black reploid at his enemy, a carbon fiber whip coming out of a compartment on his forearm and entangling Zero's leg.

"You're loyal, yet he left you here to die as cheap bait. How can you still trust him?", inquired Zero as he casually kicked the commander before he had a chance to pull the whip, launching him off the ground while severing the cable with his saber at the same time.

"I will not die here", snarled the commander as he rose again, his helmet opening to reveal a nasty adamantine nail railgun.

"Give up. How many more 'lethal' surprises have you got left? I bet Weil modeled you after an action figure or something" said Zero as he effortlessly deflected the speeding nails, still having enough time for his joke.

"I will never betray my master", screamed his opponent as he leaped for a final, desperate attack.

"Have it your way then", said Zero grimly, his good mood vanishing as his saber passed through both swords and armor, killing the commander instantly. "Die unknown, just another body in the endless piles your master's machinations and madness have produced..."

As an afterthought, Zero removed a concealed tiny case from his late opponent's waist. It wouldn't do to let him waste any cyber-elves. While the puzzling entities would be more than happy to sacrifice themselves and fulfill their function, they were alive and sentient beyond doubt.

**-n-t-g-**

As X removed Tone and Pulse from the thick of the now waning battle, he heard Axl shouting for reinforcements. Trusting the two defeated brothers to a field medic, he turned to see the black tiger and a team of soldiers fighting a giant crab mechaniloid. The thing was three times their height and much wider, featuring two massive mandibles, a grand pulse cannon on its back , four magnetic gattling guns and an abysmal mouth. It was, in effect, a moving armory with just enough artificial intelligence to destroy.

Axl was barely able to keep the beast at bay, allowing some injured soldiers to escape while firing wildly, intending for the time being to distract rather than destroy. X soon joined him, firing charged shots with both arms turned busters.

"The weak spot is the mouth, but we have to get rid of these cannons before they turn us into Swiss cheese", shouted Axl.

X nodded in acknowledgment and demolished one of the gattling guns, while leaping to avoid a pulse shot, slightly cringing as the ground where he had been standing evaporated.

One by one, the minor but substantial weapons of the behemoth were neutralized. Its back cannon was too slow and greatly overheated, so the crab decided to use melee attacks instead. With a lightning motion it closed one of its mandibles around X and effortlessly lifted him off the ground. The blue android exchanged his Ultimate armor for the older but more resilient Gaia one to absorb the crushing damage, while he charged his buster.

As Axl weakened the appendage's control points, X released the blast. The mandible was shattered to a million pieces and the crab keened, obviously hurt. X's armor sustained much damage, but endured enough for him to revert back to his Ultimate form. In the meantime, Axl shattered one of the crab's optic sensors, driving the mechaniloid berserk with pain and fury. Then, both hunters concentrated their fire to the beast's mouth, finally dealing substantial damage. It tried to crash them with its other mandible, using it as a hammer, but it suddenly noticed it was not in its place anymore.

Zero sauntered next to his friends, grinning at the appendage he had just severed.

"Sorry I'm late, guys. I took a coffee break to chat with their leader," he casually explained.

Axl smirked. "Don't worry. You lost nothing out of the ordinary."

X was not so casual. "What about the rest of the battle?" he asked, as he dodged another pulse shot.

Zero reappeared on top of the crab, hacking at the big cannon. "It seems this baby is the last of our problems here."

Ten seconds later, the giant crab hit the ground, finally deactivated and definitely harmless. As the last of the resistance faded, the forcefield disappeared and the hostages rushed to congratulate their saviors, barely able to believe their good fortune.

**-n-t-g-**

X, Axl and Zero sat together, mending their minor wounds while hearing the battle report. "So, we lost four humans and eight reploids. And at least twenty warriors are in critical condition." X tried not to let show how much his own words weighted on him, but everyone who knew him could tell otherwise.

Axl tried to help. "Don't fret too much, X. We did it and that is what it counts."

Zero slapped his hand on his forehead. That was the last thing X had wanted to hear and the blue hunter would now be furious. True to his friend's expectations, X's eyes snapped wide open and he turned to regard Axl with a not-so-sane visage.

"Don't you dare tell me to regard them as simple casualties, as simple numbers! I won't take that from anyone. Every last of them fought and died for what they believed. Died while following us, damn it!" he shouted furiously.

Zero gave Axl a discrete kick to shut him up, then tried to calm X down. "We all feel responsible for the losses, but think of how many we saved. As cynical as it may sound, we can't have a pie and eat it too. These warriors knew fully well there was a possibility to die in this battle, yet they fought to save the remains of their home."

As X subsided if only a little, one of the freed hostages approached the three hunters and bowed. "We can never thank you enough for what you did. Right now, my fellow doctors are mending your injured. We are positive that we can save all of them."

X rose, placed his weary hands on the doctor's shoulders and smiled faintly. "We only did our duty. There is no need to thank us. We should be thankful for saving our comrades."

The doctor smiled and bowed again. "That is **our** duty."

**-n-t-g-**

After a while, they heard a loud noise coming from far away as massive machinery came to life. All heads turned in unison to see Weil's flying fortress leaving the ground once again. The metallic behemoth halted for a while, suspended in the air, its engines audibly strained, then started moving forward and away.

Axl uttered a profane curse, while Zero and X merely sighed.

As on cue, a soldier rushed to them. "One of the human fighters is missing, sirs."

"What's his name", asked Zero promptly.

"Pierrot, sir. He was in your squad. You think he deserted? Nobody else has seen him since before the first battle."

Zero shook his head, dismissing the notion. "I know the fellow. We've talked quite a bit. He's one of our best warriors, better than most reploids. I've seen him defeating the Tone and Pulse brothers in practice. He'd never run away."

Suddenly, the radio transmitter came to life. "Sir, somebody is using an open channel."

Everybody gasped visibly at the statement. X lifted the comm. and gingerly responded. "This is X speaking."

"_I'm very glad to talk to you, commander. This is __Pierrot."_

"Are you crazy? Why are you using an unprotected frequency? Where are you?"

_"I'm on Weil's fortress, commander."_

Everybody's eyes went wide. X tried to respond, but words failed to form on his lips.

"_Please let me explain commanders X, Zero and Axl. Since I first met you, I've fought with all my might against Weil's oppression, surpassing many other humans and reploids in skill. I wholeheartedly agreed with your decision to ignore Weil and deliberately fall into his trap to save those poor people. I hope all our comrades survived the battle, though I don't believe it very probable. However I could not just let Weil escape. I'm not so naive to believe that I stand a chance to hurt him directly. I would merely turn myself into sport. I have found another way, though."_

X's voice was shaky, not wanting to hear what he was afraid it was coming. "But, Pierrot, you... you will be killed."

_"Listen to me, commander. I love all of you as my family, since we've been fighting together for a long time. But all this time, I wasn't alive. I died three years ago, when Weil killed my wife and children before my very eyes. All this time I haven't been fighting for a better future for myself, for hope is lost to me. I merely fought for revenge and for the sake of others, luckier than myself. I'm now barricaded close to the fortress's levitation engines. My wounds are severe, but I won't die from them. I'm using an open frequency to lure as many of Weil's minions close to me. They're trying to force the door, even as we speak, but they'll never reach me in time."_

A long pause followed and nobody dared to break the looming silence.

_"My last wish is for you... X, my friend, my brother even. When Weil has fallen and when the good things return, go ahead and build your utopia. Build your perfect world, where humans and reploids can live peacefully. And plant a tree in my memory, for a tree can live longer than a human. If there's a place for humans and reploids to go after death, I'll be watching. My only regret is that I'm not a reploid, so I couldn't carry more explosives. Get Weil, all of you. Farewell."_

A bright light came from the lower part of the flying fortress and a loud report followed after a while. The castle descended slowly, its wounded engines vainly trying and failing to keep it airborne, and crash-landed on the wasteland, having suffered substantial, if not permanent, damage. Thick clouds of noxious smoke completed the picture, framing Weil's last hope of escape.

Everybody's eyes went down as X simply sat on the ground, his eyes tearing.

**End of chapter 2.**

**-n-t-g-**

Revision notes: Apart from some error fixing and some action scene improvement, I also fleshed out Tone and Pulse a bit more. They are still tertiary characters, but a bit of characterisation goes a long way. Axl's 'black tiger' nickname is adopted from Deya_X or whatever the author of 'Strings of fate' calls herself these days.


	3. Doubt and destiny

**Chapter 3: Doubt and Destiny**

**-n-t-g**

Zero regarded his subordinate intently. "Give your report, Pulse."

The emerald-colored reploid, mostly recovered from his injuries, answered, trying not to sound too eager. "The fortress is unable to move sir. They have posted a small guard in front of the only entrance, which cannot be sealed because it was made quite recently and violently."

Zero managed to smile, though the subject was still bittersweet. Pierrot's sacrifice had gouged a massive and gapping hole on the behemoth's lower side in addition to grounding it.

"What about you, Tone?"

Pulse's brother didn't bother with tact. "The time to disintegrate Weil six ways from Sunday is close," he explained, almost gleefully. "The area around is clear. There'll be no reinforcements for either side. We are alone and so is Weil."

Zero sighed, but nodded. Compared to the many times he, X and Axl had infiltrated enemy facilities alone, having a small army along to help was considered a luxury.

Tone's tone was restless. "Aren't we going to attack immediately? The sooner we end this the better", he dared agitated, obviously having overcome most of his shyness towards the red legend. Pulse next to him simply sighed at his brother's antics.

Zero shook his head wearily. "As much as I would love that, we have to wait. Many soldiers are still recovering, much like the two of you. I shouldn't even be sending you on these scouting missions. We all need to rest for a while and, as you said, Weil's castle isn't going anywhere any time soon."

As Tone tried to protest, Zero eyed a certain lone cyan reploid. "And there is another reason as well. As I said, we won't be setting a toe on this thing until all of us are at peek performance. That includes mental aspects as well as physical ones."

The two brothers quickly realized what the crimson hunter implied and hushed. Ever since Pierrot's stunt, X had retreated to himself once again. Zero motioned to Axl who nodded and they both walked towards their distressed friend. X didn't notice them until Zero cleared his throat annoyed.

"Is everything in order, Zero?" The red bomber had to utilize a considerable amount of willpower to refrain from kicking his friend's face in. X's voice was toneless and flat, nearly trance-like.

_'Here I am, leading an army along with Axl, while the rightful and trusted leader is experiencing a mental breakdown. I mean, Axl and I, of all the people! If they had told that to me ten years ago, I would still be laughing.'_

"X, please, get a hold on yourself."

"But Zero...how can you...how can I..."

_'Oh, but he **so** deserves that kick. Does he really think he is the only one who feels like crap? Does he think so low of Axl and me, after all these years. Poor, delusional bastard. I ought to... Don't go mad, Zero, not now. One insane commander is enough. Try the subtle approach. Yes, as long as I keep it calm, I might still...'_

His train of thought was derailed by insanely loud ruckus. It seemed Axl was not as determined and motivated to keep his calm. Zero gasped in disbelief as the smaller reploid found a hold on X's armor and virtually lifted him above the ground, shaking him furiously. His voice was so booming, Zero felt his armor resonating.

"HOW DARE YOU, SITTING THERE LIKE THAT?"

Zero tried to calm the enraged reploid down, but he might as well be trying to reason with a wall. Axl continued shouting. "You act so selfishly, just mourning over the past. Have you even forgotten Pierrot's last wish? Will you just sit there and rot along with the rest of the world? You're driving everybody crazy when you are like this. If you keep it up, we might as well surrender ourselves to Weil right now. It'll save us some time."

At first, the blue-armored reploid endured the verbal onslaught stoically. Just before Zero could intervene, though, X reacted. He hugged his long time friend and leaned on his shoulder, not quite crying, but close. After a while, he spoke in a steady, focused tone, having finally collected himself. "I am unworthy of your friendship, Axl, Zero and everybody else. I do not deserve to be a leader, but now...Now I will do my best and hope for a bright tomorrow."

Everybody present, that had been watching the drama mutely, applauded in unison out of impulse. Their leader was back. Zero turned his back to the scene, shrugging it off as usual. There would be time for introspection later.

As everything returned to normal, X spoke again. "I'm ready any time, Zero. We can go right now."

The red reploid in question turned again and cocked a brow. "Remind me, please, how long it has been since any of us three had had an opportunity to sleep. It must have been something like ten days. I've really lost count."

Everybody went silent, until Zero spoke again. "Everyone but the appointed sentries is to eat, drink and sleep to their heart's content. You may also use up to half of the remaining med-kits should you need to do so. In ten hours from now, we initiate the final assault."

"Meaning?" asked Axl exited.

"We get to ice us a mad scientist."

**-n-t-g-**

Axl was thankful for the opportunity to get some shuteye. Even though reploids can last without sleep much longer than humans, they still need some time to subconsciously organize their thoughts and clear their minds. His eyes closed as soon as he touched the pillow, sending him drifting into the dreamworld, in particular to an event of the distant past.

_Axl and X were siting under a tree, next to a surprisingly clean stream of water._

_"This mission is stretching far too long", whined Axl._

_"This mission didn't really require all three of us. You are the one insisting to tag along. We will catch up to the fleeing maverick in two days. We can travel faster than him."_

_"But we have been chasing that guy for half a week already. The rations are over and I'm starving."_

_"Use your energy core for a change. You have been hogging far too much for as long as I've known you."_

_"I'm a growing child, you know. I have needs."_

_"This is such a lame and cheap excuse for a reploid."_

_"We could still, however, use some lunch." Axl and X turned to regard Zero, who was busy juggling six rather large eggs while casually walking towards the duo._

_X frowned. "Do I need to remind you this is not a picnic, Zero?" he chided, although he was not really annoyed._

_"Some times you sound like a century-old geezer, X," replied his long-time friend, raising a brow._

_"I am more than a century old", returned X, but quickly realized his fault._

_Both Axl and Zero burst into loud laughter._

_"You are a brave one to admit as much X", said Axl._

_"Antique", sneered Zero, shaking his head in fake pity._

_"Hey, you are as old as I am", complained the blue-armored reploid indignantly._

_"Even if I were, you can't prove it. Now, do you want these eggs or not?"_

_Both X and Axl accepted a pair of eggs._

_"Are we supposed to eat them raw?" inquired Axl, not really thrilled by the prospect._

_"Well, we could always light a fire to notify that maverick of our position..." said X sarcastically._

_Axl eyed the older android annoyed. "I get the picture... What are you going to do, Zero?"_

_When he received no answer, Axl turned around and gasped at what he saw. Zero had found a large stone, flat and relatively clean. Producing a tiny bottle, he had then applied oil on it before igniting his saber above it and causing it to boil in seconds. Ignoring the younger reploid's incredulous stare, he proceeded to break the eggs and fry them on the spot by occasionally passing his blade over them. After a while, he utilized the beam weapon as a spatula, launching both fried eggs in the air and cutting them to neat, even pieces. Soon, each piece found its way to his mouth with enviable acrobatic flair._

_"Hey, isn't that unhealthy? You must have terminated thousands of mavs with this sword", observed the black tiger after collecting his jaw from the ground._

_"Not really. When I shut it off and turn it on again it becomes as clean as new", replied the crimson hunter smugly. "I'd expect you to know how beam weapons work, kid."_

_Axl blinked for a few seconds, then voiced his thoughts. "Hey, how are X and I going to eat the_m."

_"Use what you have, kid," replied Zero lazy leaning against their tree to watch the show._

_Axl turned and incredulously regarded his twin pistols. "You can't be serious."_

_"He is right you know", came X's voice from behind him, the older reploid trying to suppress belly-aching laughter._

_Axl turned and what he saw once again sent his jaw to a free fall. X was holding his formed and filled with water buster upwards. His two eggs were boiling inside the barrel._

_"What...what are you doing?" he managed to ask, clearly dumbfounded._

_"Well, boiled eggs are not as tasty as fried ones, but I am not one to complain," explained X casually. "I haven't used a saber in a while and I don't think my flame-based weapons would leave anything edible."_

_At long last, Axl regained his speech function. "Could you help me with the eggs once you have finished with yours?" he asked politely, biting his lip._

_Zero and X exchanged a mischievous glance. "What do you think, Zero? Should we help him?"_

_"Sure, why not. Just let me think of a highly unreasonable request first. I'm not one to lose such opportunity," replied the red android, maliciously rubbing his hands._

_Axl sighed in resignation. "Alright, forget I even asked. I guess I will change to a form that can cook these eggs. From what animal are they, anyway?"_

_X abruptly stopped chewing and turned to regard Zero. A heavy silence followed and Axl could swear the blue reploid's face assumed a green hue._

_"Trust me, you don't want to know", responded Zero, talking with mock gravity. Axl was reduced to unbridled chuckles while X debated whether he should purge his digestive unit._

"Wake up, Axl. It is time for action."

As soon as he escaped Morpheus clutches, the shapeshifter stood up, twirled his pistols and smiled. "Yeah! I have been waiting for this for a long time."

"Then hurry up. You overslept again and we must brief the soldiers", chided X, obviously refreshed himself.

As the three commanders gathered together, X found a high perch and addressed the gathered soldiers. "This will be the last battle, everyone. Now we have to choose who will come inside. Please understand why we do this. Everybody here has done their best for a long time, but only the strongest and healthiest of us can go on, lest we become a crowd. Combat in closed quarters is different from outdoor battles. Unfortunately, I will not accept any of the human fighters along. I know most of you are stronger than many reploids, but your survival uniforms are mostly ruined and you will have no chance inside this fortress without them. The same goes for reploids whose armor is less than 50 percent functional. Those that will stay behind will be more than busy, though. You must secure the area while waiting for the wave of hostages we will be sending out. And should we fail...I want you to blast the fortress to dust. We will rig the bombs as we travel in it."

There were many volunteers so they had to cut down the numbers. At long last, the team was formed. X, Axl and Zero were of course in it, as were the Tone and Pulse brothers. Along with them went a team of fifteen, more mundane but not less determined, reploids.

Just before the attack, Zero regarded Tone and Pulse. It was difficult to believe these two were brothers. Tone's armor, still dented but far from useless, was light but durable, painted an eerie dark violet color. His green eyes seemed to glow under the black visor of his helmet as he removed his quarterstaff from his back and turned on the blue-colored beam scythe. Few could match his speed and precision with it.

Pulse's dark emerald armor was much bulkier, especially since he had already phased in his four cannons, one on each shoulder and one on each hip. The weapons' supports could rotate almost freely, giving him the ability to aim anywhere without shifting his body. What he lacked in speed, he compensated with his overwhelming rate of fire, even more reinforced by the two additional busters he was holding in his hands.

_'He seems ready to hold his ground against a whole artillery division. These kids are so unlike, but they've done well for themselves. They'd be prime Hunter material some years back.'_

Zero's thoughts were interrupted by a cacophony of energy discharges, as the rest of the soldiers dispatched the meager guard, allowing the twenty-reploid team to enter the fortress unhindered. The grim squad made its way through defenses capable of stopping a lone infiltrator but presenting them with no major difficulty. All the while they planted potent explosive charges every few steps.

They soon reached a room with a large pit of spikes and no apparent way to cross it. Their sharp, monomolecular tips gleamed under the ambient lighting and powerful electric discharges danced on their surface, promising instant demise. The smell of ozone was thick in the air. As everybody else stopped cold on their tracks, Zero turned and regarded them.

"What's the matter? Don't tell me you will let a pitiful mousetrap like this stop you."

When nobody responded, he sighed, formed his buster and started blasting at the spikes, slowly reducing them to nothing more than scrap. It would have taken him hours, had he been alone, but as everybody followed his lead, the spike trap lasted for less than three minutes.

At long last, they reached a wide, plain chamber featuring a great screen. The face on the screen was fairly known to everybody. Weil simply loved showing off his likeness.

"So the brave reploids are here to dispose of me", he mused, his voice mockingly dramatic.

X managed to keep his wrath in check, his voice formal and adamant. "You have betrayed Arcadia, the Megacity System and the rest of the world in general. Your major crimes are genocide, armed insurrection, enslavement of humans and reploids, military theft, severe disruption of the environmental equilibrium and multiple uses of weapons of mass destruction. You will follow us peacefully and you might be spared, or you can resist and force us to kill you on the spot, like the maverick you are."

The person at the other side of the screen seemed furious. "You fools think you can get rid of me so easily? Let's see how guilty I will be when I burn what is left of Arcadia to the ground and force everyone to beg for their lives in front of my throne's feet. The meek spineless individuals you regard as superiors will wilt against my might after I eradicate you and your pitiful ragtag army."

Axl had heard enough. "Your time is over you self-centered freak. You have caused more harm than all the events of the last centuries combined. This ends here. YOU end here", he spat, frantically waving his pistols for effect.

Weil regained his composure and smirked. "Mere reploid weapons will never threaten my life. It seems you have forgotten that you are only machines that think they are human. Allow me to remind that fact to you."

A small vent opened on the ceiling and a black, shimmering cloud emerged. Dozens of cyber-elves filled the room, descending upon the twenty reploids.

Weil cackled in glee. "I must thank you, X. It was you who discovered and helped us complete the mother elf. She has assisted you immensely against Sigma, but now that I have modified her, I can create approximate copies. Behold the baby elves. Their structure is 50 percent the same as the modified mother elf, in effect the part of her we can understand. With them I can control any reploid I choose. You and Zero will be worthy additions to my army."

The black wave rippled, each elf going after a reploid and trying to integrate to their systems. The fifteen lesser reploids let out a scream in unison and their eyes became unfocused. All of them started chanting Weil's name mindlessly.

Axl, Tone and Pulse brought their hands on their heads, apparently in excruciating pain while X and Zero were not affected in the least, merely watching in disbelief as their comrades lost themselves. The two cyber-elves exited their bodies and cried with barely human voices. "Mi,mimi... They not reploids...fake reploids, miiii."

Weil regarded them incredulously. "But that should affect every reploid. What is happening here?" he demanded.

Zero challenged the tyrant. "Exactly Weil. Every **reploid**. X and myself are not really reploids. Real reploids are based on X's design and their initial forms were developed by Dr. Cain. X was simply the prototype and I was build partially based on X and partially based on, let's say, unique designs. You hold no power over us."

Weil was fuming, but then his expression became a wicked smile. "So, will you now fight alone against your former comrades?" he taunted.

"They will not be alone!" Everybody turned and regarded Axl, who was apparently in control of himself.

"How..."

Axl smiled. "Well, I'm not your average reploid either. I usually avoid using the DNA data of the two of you, because they cause compatibility error reports a mile long, but with some caution I can partially alter my neural network to cancel the control of these baby elves."

Before anyone could respond, a blinding flash filled the chamber. They all turned to regard the Tone and Pulse brothers. Their hands were joined, clasped together tightly, and thousands of electric synapses were formed between them. On the back of each of their connected hands appeared an embedded, glowing white orb. Then the twin orbs resonated for a few seconds and the two reploids turned to regard their friends.

They spoke the same words in perfect sync and their voices echoed as one. "I was created as part of a certain experiment that tested collective intelligence. Right now there is only one person with one mind speaking as we are mentally fused. I avoid to do that normally as it ruins our individuality, but I cannot be controlled while I exist as one."

Zero smiled cockily at the face on the screen that was now redder than his armor. "Were you saying something, Weil? That's five warriors you failed to account for. Loose ends have a way of strangling you, don't you think?"

As the rest of the reploids moved to attack, Zero whispered something to Tone, then moved forward. The two brothers acted as two hands of the same person, Pulse charging all six of his cannons while Tone placed his activated scythe in front of them. The blast was absorbed by the wicked blue blade, transforming into a large semicircle wave of energy that was released at waist height. Zero anticipated the wave and jumped above it, landing and smashing the floor with his knuckles at full power. The combination of the small earthquake and the energy wave propelled all fifteen reploids away, without inflicting them too much damage.

In the meanwhile, Axl and X moved to the second door across the room and blasted its reinforced frame into hot chunks of scrap metal. As all five reploids passed through the opening, Zero demolished the already damaged supporting beams of the previous chamber, causing the section close to them to collapse, effectively preventing their possessed friends from following them.

**-n-t-g-**

They stopped to rest for a while in the next room, which was filled with numerous computer terminals and other, more sophisticated contraptions. Axl, well versed in the ways of the hacker from before he had left Red Alert, proceeded to check said terminals while one by one started to shut down.

**#shutdown commencing...**

**-Cancel procedure.**

**#shutdown overridden. Welcome to Weilnet.**

After a little tinkering, Axl called everybody close. A three-dimensional map of the fortress was displayed on his screen.

"It seems Weil and Omega are waiting for us at the top of the highest spire", he said smugly, indicating a flashing dot.

"How original. The big guys hiding behind an ocean of small fries. I sometimes think that all our enemies have some sort of collective intelligence or stupidity for the matter", responded Zero.

"The weird thing is that the central spire and all the surrounding ones are, in reality a huge space shuttle, able to remain in outer space for an indefinite amount of time", observed the black tiger, a finger rubbing his chin.

"Is Weil planning a space excursion or something? I have developed a certain dislike to such things since the Eurasia incident", groused the other hunter.

X remained serious. "He might use it to escape, so we must board it fast", he cautioned.

Axl went on. "Also, I have located the position of the hostages, but I can't free them from here. Somebody has to go and use the control panel there. It will open a door close to our forces outside. "

"I will go. I don't think my bodies will be much of a help against Omega." It was a bit creepy to hear the two brothers talking as one like that, but X and Zero nodded.

"It will be much better to know innocent victims are out of the way, in case we do need to use the explosives", declared X somewhat gloomily.

Zero rested his hand upon his friend's shoulder. "Cheer up a bit. I'm not yet ready to go down and the same goes for you. When we dispose of these clowns, we will have a lot to do. Rebuilding this world, for example."

X lightened up a bit, but failed to perceive the grave visage that dominated Zero's face for less than a second.

_'When this is over, I will have to leave soon. I'm sorry X, but you will have to understand.'_

Axl turned to the brothers. "The control panel is twenty stories directly down from here. There is no easy way to get there, unless you..."

He stopped talking and smiled, as Tone and Pulse nodded and acted. Tone caused his sickle to retreat and then a blue, shimmering, round shield expanded from the butt of his staff. He placed the shield on the floor and walked on it, his feet unharmed. Pulse followed him and then charged his cannons and released the energy downwards. The shield absorbed the shots, then glowed fiercely, as the floor below it slowly melted away. While the brothers lazily descended, the three legendary hunters pressed forward.

**-n-t-g-**

Many minor battles later, they reached a massive door, which seemed to be heavily reinforced.

Axl spoke first. "This is the entrance to the shuttle. Past this door, everything will seem like the rest of the castle, but the door itself and all the surrounding walls are built to endure in outer space and survive meteor crashes. It will be difficult to break it down."

Zero shrugged and readied his saber. "Whatever. Every door can be opened in due time."

As on cue, the huge airlock door opened, slowly and silently clearing the way.

"Do you think he missed us?"

"This smells like a trap, Zero."

Zero rolled his eyes "Really X? Just the three of us proceeding into the heart of a hostile stronghold, where we know we will face the strongest thing Weil can yet throw on us? This is a perfectly good definition of the word trap in my book", he responded sarcastically.

They reached the central spire facing little resistance and then started ascending a seemingly endless flight of stairs that precariously coiled inside a huge cylindrical shaft. Using their boosters, they virtually flew closer to the final battle. At some point, Axl took the time to bend to the side and look upwards while running. What he saw caused his face to be drained of energy fluid. Above the stairs hung a massive metal disk, supported by a multitude of magnetic locks and weighting hundreds of tons, effectively as wide as the chamber itself.

The locks were starting to disengage as Axl frantically notified his friends.

X looked at the speeding disk gawking. "This is the maddest final trap I've ever seen. I have nothing", he muttered and yet proceeded to look around frantically.

Zero was the first to react, though, initially on instinct. As the disk crashed the stairs above them, he jabbed his saber into the wall, all the way to the hilt just above his head, a snarl escaping his set jaws.

The combined mass consisting of the disk and the demolished stairs reached the saber's hilt... and soundly stopped, while the wall cracked under the pressure but endured. The ensuing silence was shattered by a very surprised Axl. "Th...this is not possible. No beam weapon could ever support such massive weight."

Zero grinned. "X just said that this was Weil's maddest trap. The best way to fight madness is to pit a greater madness against it. Guess who is now officially the maddest evil genius scientist in history", he chuckled, although a careful observer would notice a strain of dread in his voice.

The three hunters proceeded to blast a large hole in the wall, just below the embedded saber. Said wall was greatly fortified, but after a while they opened a space large enough for them to fit in. As on cue, the wall around the Z-saber gave in, allowing the disk to continue its destructive downfall. Zero barely managed to snatch his trusty saber before the massive weight swished next to him. With an insanely loud crush that rocked the castle to its very core, the disk landed on the floor below them and stopped. After registering the fact that they were comparatively out of danger, the trio wall-jumped on the now naked walls and entered the door at the top.

**-n-t-g-**

They reached another colossal chamber and finally saw what they had come here to fight. The room was dominated by a levitating, gigantic reploid, his armor resembling that of a medieval knight. Omega's protective plates were colored a shining, metallic silver, adorned with pink, black and red shapes. On his helmet stood a pink metal feather and his large cape sported a fine red finishing. Strapped on his back, there was a massive greatsword, almost as tall as its owner, with a cross-shaped point. His spiked knuckles and arms were not attached on his torso, but levitated at their respective positions instead, as if connected by invisible strings. His onyx black face was covered by an even darker visor and his smile reflected dreaded malice, not unlike Sigma's but perhaps even more disturbing.

Behind him, standing on a raised platform and protected by a radiant forcefield, loomed the world's greatest nemesis, Dr. Weil.

"So you have arrived, despite the traps I have placed", noted the definitely-not-good doctor, keeping his hands before him, fingertips touching.

"Traps? What are you talking about, Weil? We didn't even break a sweat while coming here", taunted Zero.

The would-be ruler frowned. "This will be quite enough. Omega, show them what pain really is, then exterminate them."

The massive reploid growled in accordance and a volley of green, high energy orbs erupted from his eyes, meant to quickly dispatch the three hunters. They easily avoided the attack while the shots bounced on the floor and exploded on a far wall.

"You'll have to try better than that, big guy", said Axl as he retaliated with a rain of energy pellets. The attack had no effect whatsoever as the shots bounced harmlessly on the thick armor.

X's attacks also had no effect on the armor initially, but he kept changing his aim until a shot nailed Omega's head. The giant snarled, indicating the attack had caused some damage.

"Aim for the head", ordered X, as he dodged another string of shots that almost caught him off-guard.

"Roger." Zero dashed forward, avoiding more shots, and passed between the colossus' legs. Dashing vertically on the wall and jumping cleanly over Omega, he delivered a charged saber smash on his head. The weapon released a powerful wave of energy and caused a hot draft of air to lash all around the chamber. The others looked incredulously at Zero's target. Though the powerful attack had obviously caused pain, the damage was hardly obvious.

Before Zero had an opportunity to touch the ground, one of the giant's hands moved away from the body, grabbed him and smashed him to the opposite wall with enough force to shake the entire fortress. The other hand moved close to the other two reploids and expanded its fingers, revealing a bright green orb grafted on the palm. A spiral shockwave was then created, catching X and Axl by surprise and throwing them backwards. In midair, Axl span around and delivered some flame shots right on target. This only seemed to annoy Omega like so many mosquitoes and he merely halted his attack. X phased in his Ultimate armor and stopped his flight, stilling in the air.

In the meanwhile, Zero struggled against the wall to escape from the hand's firm grip. As he felt his armor slowly giving in, he slashed with his left hand, holding his saber and trying to channel as much power in his swings despite the awkward leverage. The powerful gauntlet armor was slightly dented, but there was no other effect. Running out of options, Zero slashed at the wall behind him instead. The already cracked barrier collapsed and Zero along with the hand went out of sight.

Axl landed hard on his back, but immediately rolled away and jumped to avoid the other giant speeding hand. He cringed as the floor where he had been standing was reduced to dust, sharp armored fingers digging deep in the otherwise sturdy material.

With the two hands temporary out of the way, X dashed towards Omega's head, avoiding some halfhearted shots and slamming viciously right on target via his Nova strike. The hit rocked the giant and almost caused him to lose his balance. The second hand disengaged from the floor, levitated high above it and started raining shockwaves downwards.

Axl avoided an eye energy orb and his body started to change. His frame became much smaller, but a large spiked metal ball formed where his hand used to be. His feet locked magnetically on the floor while the spikeball sailed through the air whistling, to connect with the giant's visor. X released a Hermes armor charged beam at the same time, then changed back into his Ultimate armor and dashed away from a waterfall of shockwaves coming from above. As he returned to the ground, a black flash passed right next to him.

Zero, his armor exchanged for its much stronger black counterpart, dashed with insane speed towards Omega, then jumped high while his extended blade ignited with angry orange fire. The attack left a superheated trail on the massive armor and caused its owner to cry in rage. When Zero reached the apex of his leap, he turned his sword downwards. The blade flashed white and became a razor spike, coated with super-cooled ice. The iced saber slashed right on the line of the last attack, the difference between temperatures causing the armor to split in half.

X and Axl promptly grabbed the chance to deliver their most powerful shots at the opening, while avoiding the giant's first hand that followed close to Zero's wake. While said hunter was slapped away like a fly, the duo unloaded a torrent of light, heat and energy on the wounded titan.

The two hands fell on the floor deactivated and the colossus seemed to be defeated. The silence of anticipation was shattered by Weil's laughter. "That was a great show, you fools. Though I did not manage to finish him, I have already given him part of the mother elf's power. Behold his true strength and despair!"

Omega shined with an inner light and the gash on his armor vanished, mending almost instantly. His hands returned to his sides and every single dent faded away as well.

"Damn, he seems as good as new. How are we going to beat this thing?" exclaimed Axl exasperated.

"We can still hurt him and we have only suffered minor injuries. Since we can dodge most of his attacks and since he can regenerate like that, this will be a battle of attrition. We just have to damage him faster than he can compensate. Keep your wits around you", advised Zero his black armor fading back to red.

One of Omega's hands reached to his back and got hold of the gigantic metal sword. He tried a low swipe, causing everyone to jump high to avoid it. X tried to air-dash on him again, but the other hand hit him and sent him flying towards the opposite direction. The sword-holding hand ascended to the ceiling and jabbed the floor below it, right where Axl had been standing. He frantically dodged it and the pieces of the floor that went flying. While he was distracted, another energy globe hit him squarely on the back, driving him to the floor. The giant immediately went for the kill, slashing the sword towards the downed hunter. The giant blade was intercepted by a fierce green saber, as Zero attempted to block the hit. The sheer force of the hand drove him backwards, sparks igniting between his feet and the floor. While Axl recovered and scurried out of the way, X delivered another body slam on the distracted reploid, resulting in minor recoil.

"This is going on forever. We need a plan", shouted Axl.

Zero dashed close to X and whispered something, then turned to Axl. "I have an idea. Keep him occupied for a while."

"Keep him occupied? How am I supposed to do that?" he complained, complying nonetheless and firing some flash shots. While they dealt no noteworthy damage, they served in blinding Omega. X and Zero dashed to the other end of the room and the crimson bomber jumped on his friend's back. X dashed through the air towards the giant, reaching top speed, then engaging the Nova strike on contact.

Zero extended his saber ahead, and it became longer and narrower, its surface radiating an electric white. The blade penetrated Omega's visor and continued, burying itself right up the hilt and sending millions of volts inside Omega's head and, through his neural network, all over his body.

As Omega lit up like a Christmas tree, the hands deactivated once again and his body fell to the ground. The three friends held their breaths, expecting a clean victory. The reality however was different. The giant stood up yet again, his wounds nowhere to be seen.

"This is one persistent bastard", muttered Zero, searching around the room for anything that could assist them.

"I will be forced to use **it**, Zero", responded X in a resigned tone.

Zero turned to regard his friend. "I know that you hate it and that you try to avoid it, but it is your choice. I doubt it will be enough though. How fast can you change back in full power?"

"Five minutes. It can't be helped, the energy consumption is huge."

"Hey, what is he talking about?", asked Axl.

"His latest transformation. Some scientists named it an 'Armed Phenomenon', or something."

"What? How came I have never seen it?" he said, dodging another potentially lethal attack.

"He has never used it before in real battle and it's classified, that's why. It taxes his body and drains his mind, but we will have to use everything we have in this fight."

Axl morphed into an aerial reploid and started buzzing around their enemy, helping Zero to distracted Omega and buy their partner some time. X's body started to shine as he rose off the ground, then his form was enveloped by a blinding light as his body changed. His torso doubled in size and his legs merged to form a single spike. His armor became thicker and his helmet changed in shape and size. Wing-like appendages sprouted from his back and extended, becoming larger than his body and glowing iridescently. His hands detached, hovering in the same fashion as Omega's and growing many times, sprouting armored claws in the process. Lastly, a great halo expanded above his head, crackling with raw energy.

Axl turned to regard his friend and was struck dumb. "Wow, this is...is this really X?"

Zero was not so surprised. "With the name 'Seraph form' that's close to what I expected. He seems to pack quite a punch. Literally speaking, too."

X levitated towards Omega and the battle of the titans started. Multiple rings of energy flew from X's halo, connecting with Omega's hands and confining them, restricting their movement. Omega rushed forward and headbutted his opponent, causing the rings to disappear as his concentration shattered. X retaliated by loading his wings with energy and using them as razors. Omega took the first hit, which left a gash on his armor that was promptly healed, then blocked the rest of the hits with his sword.

Axl took the chance to briefly mend his wounds, looking crestfallen. "All we can do now is watch and wish for the best."

Before he could finish his words, a red blur passed next to him. "You are kidding, of course", retaliated Zero, as he gained momentum.

Omega held the sword in both hands and tried to smash it on X's head. The angel-like reploid caught the flat of the blade between his palms and stopped it. Taking advantage of the standstill, Zero leaped and climbed on X's back.

"Zero, what are you doing? This is dangerous", warned X.

Zero smirked. "You didn't think you would have to battle alone, did you? Just hold him still."

The crimson bomber jumped from X's shoulder and dashed on the stilled blade, reaching Omega's head. Briefly concentrating, he used the Twin Dream technique, spawning five energy clones around the giant's head. Six charged identical blades pierced the larger reploid's head from different directions.

Omega's keen filled the chamber and he lost his balance, although the damage was rapidly healed. X tore the massive sword from his opponent's hands, wielded it and stabbed it with all his might through Omega's armor. Zero jumped down and delivered a flurry of rolling slashes to his overwhelmed opponent along with his five clones that mirrored his moves.

As Omega tried to regenerate once again, a huge charged shot hit him. Axl had joined the fray and had shaped his whole body into a large cannon. The others soon joined him, Zero dismissing his lookalikes and sending crescent waves of energy, X emitting laser shots from his hands and scanning Omega's armor with a shearing beam from his eyes.

Weil was not so happy now. He barked an order and another entity appeared in the room. The Dark elf passed through Weil's shield and headed above Omega, releasing glowing sprinkles and speeding up his recovery rate. At the same time, two baby elves, the ones that had failed to possess X and Zero, came out from hiding and danced around their mother, shrieking happily.

While X and Axl continued tearing at the downed, albeit fast recovering body, Zero dashed vertically on X's back, then launched himself in the air and blasted the dark elf away with his buster at point blank. The baby elves tried to hurt him while yelling, but he casually flicked them away. Instead of returning to Omega, he headed towards the forcefield. A single charged slash from his saber caused the shield generators to overheat and blow up, reducing the scientist's protection to nothingness. A panicked Weil stepped backwards in the light of the crimson death. He fell on a control panel, frantically pressing buttons at random. Just before he was cleaved in half, the floor below him phased out and he passed through it. At the same time, a loud rumbling filled the castle. A voice boomed from a hidden source.

"The Arc will launch in two minutes. All systems nominal."

The three heroes looked at each other, then at the still shifting remains of Omega. "Now or never, X. Let's end this nightmare," shouted Zero, deciding to don his Absolute Zero form, acquiring wings and claws of his own.

X nodded. "This time peace will prevail," he added and they both collected their power, attacking at once.

**"Final Strike!"**

As the onslaught subsided and Omega finally remained still, X returned to his original form, leaning heavily on Axl, while Zero dashed to the dazed mother elf and temporary confined her into a forcefield cage. Then all of them rushed toward the exit as one. They free-fell at the disk trap room, then dashed out of the main spire. As the airlock gate was ready to be sealed, the three friends literally flew out. The immense shuttle rose quickly, becoming a speck on the blue sky soon afterwards.

Zero was angry. "Damn, they did get away in the end. If Weil is in this shuttle, he and Omega can use the time to recover, then start all over again. If he got away, we will be seeing him again soon enough even without Omega's support."

Axl started laughing. "At least we won't be hearing from Omega any time soon."

As the others turned to regard him questioningly, he continued. "While I was at it, I downloaded then erased the shuttle's navigation map. It will take it centuries to return to earth and even then, it will have to crash land."

The general mirth was interrupted by another announcement, delivered in the same automated voice. "The shuttle has been launched successfully. The base will self-destruct in four minutes."

"Damn, why does this always happen. Can't we ever get out at our own pace?" whined Axl, only half-serious.

They raced through the halls then used the exit Tone and Pulse had created to reach ground level. As they exited the fortress, a heat wave enveloped them, and they lost their senses as their feet lost contact with the ground.

After such a long day, oblivion almost felt good.

**End of chapter 3.**

**-n-t-g-**

Revision notes: In addition to some errors, I also rewrote the battle scenes, adding the Final Strike as heard in the drama tracks. My main departure from canon is this: Zero is supposed to be in a copy body and Omega is supposed to already contain his original one. In my story, none of this has happened yet. Instead, Omega is 'merely' based on Mother Elf, who is herself created from Zero's/the Virus' data.


	4. Duty and devotion

**Chapter 4: Duty and devotion**

**-c-c-**

The darkness was absolute, but they could hear voices, echoes of their memories or echoes of reality.

"I found them, they are knocked out!"

"_What?! Then the Sky Lagoon will... come crashing into the ground!"_

"Call a medic. They are still alive."

"_Stay here Iris. I'll handle it!"_

"There is a strange elf inside this forcefield..."

"_Good-bye, Red... I'll become a Hunter on my own."_

"Secure it immediately. If it is what I think it is..."

"_Si...Sigma!?"_

"Will they make it?"

"_Hang in there, Iris!"_

"If you shut your trap and move on, they will!"

"_I'll take on plenty more like you, if that's what it takes."_

"Thank god, they start to come around."

Axl opened his eyes first. The happy faces of many soldiers greeted him. "Did we... make it?" he managed to ask.

X shot up as soon as he realized he was still alive. "Is everybody safe? Where are the hostages? Did they manage to evacuate?"

Zero opened one eye lazily, then yawned. "Can't a reploid get some sleep around here? Why is everyone shouting like that?"

As if to justify Zero's words, every other human and reploid started shouting in glee and clapping at the same time.

**-c-c-**

The metropolis itself was still damaged, but the lanes of Arcadia were filled with people to capacity. After the horrors of the Elf Wars, where 60 percent of the already small global human population and 90 percent of the reploids had perished, everybody needed to forget themselves even for while.

"I'm still not sure about it, Zero. We have more important things to do than celebrating like this."

The three hunters were on top of a huge decorated car that was about to start its trek through the city, all wearing formal robes instead of armors. Three months after the final battle, the residents of Arcadia had restored enough infrastructure to comfortably celebrate the end of the Elf Wars.

Zero shook his head in resignation. "You are always too stiff, X. Look out there. Rich and poor, famous and common, humans and reploids. For a day like this, everybody puts away their differences and is ready to throw a festival. They insisted we do at least that."

Axl could barely contain his excitement. "Yeah! This is going to be a hell of a party. Cheer up everyone. They all love us so much. We are their heroes."

X sighed. "Alright. Since all three of us are in it we might as well do that."

As X turned his back, Zero grinned wearily. _Both X and Axl are going to kill me, but I have to do that._

The great car started to move closer to the start of the cheering crowd. Suddenly, just before the first lines of people, Zero grabbed Axl with all his might and jumped down behind the car, running towards the opposite direction.

X realized it too late. The people had already started applauding. "I going to get you for this, Zero", he muttered between his teeth, smiling as the crowd chanted his name.

Axl was still stunned. "What possessed you Zero? I really wanted to take part in it. Why?"

Zero smiled. "Listen to them." The crowd's voice reached a crescendo. "One hero is enough for them. X is the only one that can stay here and really help them. By being himself and fighting for peace, he has gained what Weil and Sigma could only dream. The world is his to lead, just as Light wanted him to. Let them acknowledge him as the one and only savior. We are not needed."

Axl pouted. "But I wanted to sign autographs."

Zero smirked. "Being a leader is hard, boring and demanding. You are a good hunter, Axl, but you have never been prime leadership material. Think of all the paperwork!"

The black tiger blanched at that. "On second thought, becoming a maverick hunter as soon as they are reformed sounds much more appealing", he replied sagely. After a while, he quirked a brow. "What about you? X might be a good leader, but you were there supporting and… and tutoring him all the while!" he exclaimed incredulously. "You have been grooming him for this position, haven't you?" he accused.

Instead of responding, the crimson hunter started whistling obliviously, his smile barely contained on his face.

Axl was not convinced. "No offence to X, but you would have been just as good for this."

"Yeah, as long as I'm around", replied Zero and his friend completely lost his words' hidden meaning.

**-c-c-**

"To summarize the reports, energy and water installments are back on line, though we still have problems with the communication networks. Our new geothermal power plants are cheap, ecological and their life almost infinite. We won't be having problems with energy any time soon."

"Much technology is lost to us, since many important people are gone and many archives have been corrupted. It will take us a long time to reach our former levels."

"The uprisings in the five most isolated towns have stopped since we sent enough supplies and eradicated the maverick mechaniloids threat, though I still believe we should have followed a more aggressive approach."

"The city's walls are almost complete and reinforced with energy, pulse, plasma, and S.A.M. turrets. We are comparatively safe against the rogue mechaniloids, though we can't determine their source. Also, by now almost everyone in the city owns decent living quarters and can fairly survive."

"The crime ratings have been reduced by 98 percent in the last two months. We have also signed peace and trade treaties with other more minor clusters of civilization around the globe. We have started negotiating a union with Arcadia as the leading city."

"Everybody has asked you to become the head of the union sir. This is their main demand. Whatever you might think, everybody around the globe wants you in charge."

X sighed but nodded. "Thank you very much, gentlemen, this is the start of a great future for all sentient beings, the rise of Neo-Arcadia, the new bastion of civilization. Peace and prosperity will be achieved. That will be all", he responded dismissing his associates.

As one by one the councilors left the room, X noticed a figure hiding in the shadows and leaning against the wall. "So, what do you think?" he asked wearily.

"Every time I get inside the presidential palace, it seems more and more cozy, 'Master' X."

"Hey, cut it out. You know I have asked everyone to drop the title thing and stop adding furniture in here. But you didn't answer my real question."

Zero left the shadows, walked in front of X and placed his hands on his friend's shoulders. "What you do is amazing, X. You practically run this planet by yourself. This is what we have been fighting for all those decades. You have come a long way from the rookie hunter Vile almost scrapped."

X lowered his eyes. "I don't know, Zero. Everything seems so wrong. You and Axl have done more than I ever could. Without the two of you...And yet you chose to step away from the light. I, the head of a world wide union? And there are so many people I am unable to help right now. I feel helpless."

Zero smiled. "The people wanted a hero and wanted a leader. Axl could never endure something like that, and I am nobody's idea of a hero. The people need you, X. This is the start of Dr. Light's dream, a peaceful world for everybody. And you should know by now you can't help everybody instantly. In the end, I know you will make it."

"Thank you again, Zero. I am truly lost without you around."

"Don't rely too much on me. I'm leaving tonight."

X turned very slowly, his eyes glazed, not wanting to believe what he had just heard. After a while he managed to speak. "Wh...where are you going, Zero. We need you here; I need you here."

"I cannot allow my presence to endanger this world again, X. I have to do that."

"What are you talking about. This is a joke, right? You have saved this world dozens of times."

Zero's eyes scanned the floor. "You choose to forget, X, but I cannot. You are the only one left who knows who my creator was. I was the first true maverick in this world. It was the virus inside my body that turned Sigma from a maverick hunter to a menace. All those maverick outbreaks were my fault. The first war, the X-hunters, the Doppler incident, the manipulation of the repliforce and Iris's demise, the Eurasia colony, Gate's nightmare virus, the fall of Red Alert, the Jakob Project, the force metal and so many other incidents happened because of my existence. Even that last, final war. You wouldn't have to complete the mother elf if there were no mavericks and Weil used a modified Zero virus to corrupt her. You say that I saved the world? Don't make me laugh. I just tried to undo some of the damage I have caused. There is too much blood on my hands, X."

Tears were now falling from X's eyes. "But it was not your fault. You never intended to do something like that."

"I know that the past cannot be altered X. I have learned that the hard way. The least I can do now is find a way to eradicate the horrors hidden inside me, so that I will not endanger the future. I will find a way or die trying." The ghost of a smile touched his lips. "Perhaps when I'm sure I am harmless, I can return and enjoy your peace. I'll probably be bored out of my mind, but then again the work never ends for us hunters."

X felt a need to curl into a ball and sulk at some dark corner. "I...I will come with you, Zero. You can't go alone."

Zero smiled bitterly. "You can't, X. Even if you didn't have to take care of a whole world, I would never allow you to do that. This is a path I must tread alone. Don't tell Axl until he asks. The stupid kid will want to follow me and you can use his help here."

X could not find any words. His whole universe was collapsing around him.

As Zero reached the exit, he turned around and smiled. "Tell Axl I'm sorry and take care of these people, X. I trust you. I just know we will meet again sometime. Farewell."

X remained in the same position for many minutes, lost in the dark corners of his mind. Many crazy thoughts crossed his mind. Stop Zero somehow, make the guards arrest him, notify Axl, imprison him, run away following him. When all of them were dismissed, he collapsed into a fetal position and then almost fainted on the cold metal floor.

"What am I doing", he muttered. "What kind of ungrateful friend am I? Will I just let him leave like this, alone and forgotten by everybody. How can I care for a nation when I can't even help my best friend. It's not fair..."

X's scream of anguish reached Zero's ears as he exited the building. He turned and regarded the general area of the sound, then resumed walking.

_Hang in there, X. Fulfill your dream and forget about me._

**-c-c-**

"This is the new mechaniloid we have designed, sir. It is actually more of a frame than an actual model. It is not sentient, it can adapt and be altered in many ways, it follows simple orders and it needs no rest."

"Is it a coincidence that it resembles me quite a bit?"

"Well, master X, I believe the design is fitting. The citizens will be feeling at ease having droids that look like you running around, even though they are low-powered units. They need meager power input and we can construct them cheaply in great numbers. We can build models with energy busters, shock batons, shielded arms, flying capabilities, even for underwater uses."

"How do you call them?"

"Well the official name is pantheon, but I believe we can call them X-drones."

X sighed in resignation. "Very well. I have seen the plans and approve of them. You can start building the prototypes as soon as possible. We are low on men and there are still many dangers outside our walls."

As the researchers left the room, Axl burst in unannounced.

"Axl, what is the matter? Is something wrong?"

"X, where is Zero? I haven't seen him around for weeks."

**-c-c-**

"Hey, guys. Somebody is coming. I can see him."

"Is he alone?"

"Yeah, the perfect fool."

"Let's go."

Six reploids appeared from behind some of the many rock chunks that littered the hill's face and surrounded the lone figure. The assailants featured low quality beam busters and blades and their eyes gleamed. The figure in the middle was cloaked, its face and body hidden inside the shadows of a brown cape.

"Well, what do we have here boys?" asked one in mock disbelief.

"Somebody was stupid enough to leave one of those crap-hole cities and travel alone", replied another, obviously enjoying his little game.

"Well show us your face, pal. Are you a human or a reploid?" inquired another one.

"Not that it really matters. You will die anyway", cackled the first menacingly.

"Well, except if she is female. That would be lucky. We haven't even touched the gal at our camp yet."

"Well, say something. Beg for your life."

The figure that had remained mute till that time, finally spoke. "Have you been doing this a lot?" it asked, sounding quite unconcerned in the face of danger.

"Dang, not a female."

"Yeah mister. We have already opened a pit full of human and reploid bodies."

"Right, slaughtering is good and the smell of blood is even better. With that bastard Weil out of the way and no Megacity system or hunters, life will be sweet", explained a particularly sadistic one.

"Now let's get this over with. I have to chat with our other young guest, if you catch my meaning", announced their apparent leader.

One of the reploids tried to snatch the cloak from the figure. A green flash appeared out of nowhere, cleanly severing his hand. He screamed and fell back, backpedaling on the ground on all threes. As the others remained stunned, the figure removed his cloak, revealing his crimson, white and black armor.

One of the thugs recognized the legendary hunter. "It...It's Z...zero, th...the h...hunter. RUN!!"

Before anyone could even register the meaning of their friend's words, they found themselves dead, their pieces scattered all over the wasteland. The reploid with the severed hand was still alive, having collapsed on the ground and holding his bloody stump, while futilely trying to kick himself away from the crimson bomber.

As Zero approached him, he begged for his life. "Please, spare me. I surrender. I will follow you and have a trial for my crimes. Just don't kill me."

Zero eyed the scum with burning intensity. "I think you got that wrong, 'pal'. X is the one that offers trials and mercy. I can only offer revenge and oblivion."

As he silenced the last of the gang, he went through the gruesome task of scavenging their energy cores. Energy was scarce in the wilderness.

He then proceeded to their nearby camp that was consisted of crude tents. He found nothing really worthy of his time, until he reached the larger of them. Inside he discovered a tied and gagged human girl with chocolate brown hair, no older than seventeen, her clothes dirty and ragged, trying to escape to no avail.

She tried to scream when she saw him, then flinched reflexively as his hand approached her and undone her bonds. She promptly removed the dirty gag and regarded the crimson reploid with trepidation and wonder.

"Are you hurt, kid?" asked Zero in a neutral tone. He could see she was relatively unhurt, but he had to say something to break the silence.

At long last, the girl spoke, her voice hesitant. "You... you are not going to hurt me?"

Zero sighed, allowing a smile to touch his lips. "I just happened to pass by and had to retire your six captors. There is no reason to be afraid of me."

She stood there for a while, trying to fully absorb what her savior told her. Then she rushed forward, hugged the hunter, holding him in an iron grip and sobbing. Zero allowed her to vent her emotions for a while, then placed his cape on her shoulders and held her at arm's length. "What is your name, girl and where do you live?"

Finally somewhat calm, she cleared her eyes and answered. "I live in a valley three days from here. I was travelling with a caravan, but they ambushed it and...Anyway, my name is Amanda. Amanda Light."

**-c-c-**

"Are you saying you just let him leave like that?"

"Well, yes..."

Axl's visage changed from curiosity, to stunned disbelief to unbridled rage. "What the hell is wrong with you, X. How could you do that."

"It was... his wish. I tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen a word." X turned his eyes to the floor.

"This is no excuse! You should have stalled him for as long as possible and call for me. Together we could make the stubborn oaf change his mind", he retaliated.

X sighed, rubbing the space between his eyes wearily. "He decided to do that a long time ago, Axl. It is all clear now. Keeping to himself more than usual, avoiding public appearances, running from the ceremony. He wanted the world to forget about him. He told me he was sorry he left without telling you, but you would want to follow him."

Axl's face distorted. "Is that what you will do, X? Forget about him? Letting him just become lost in the history archives like some second rate soldier? Hell and damnation, X! He did most of the work by himself. His actions were more important that what we did in the war combined."

X flinched at the declaration. "I...I wanted to follow him, but I can't leave now. They need me. He made sure everybody would think I was the main hero. I can't leave."

Axl answered after a while, his words dripping sarcasm. "Fine, then. I guess your Majesty is too important to be bothered by the likes of a simple, insignificant reploid like Zero. I guess you finally caught the maverick virus, X. You just don't make any sense any more."

He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He reached for the door, then stopped. His voice now was calm and apologetic, almost serene. "I'm sorry, X. I understand why you must stay. I'm just too stubborn to accept it."

He turned and a meek smile lightened his face. "I will go and bring him back, X. I promise that. We will return, even if I have to drag him by his hair. See you soon X and good luck to both of us."

As the door closed, Axl heard two voices.

"There is no way we will let you go alone, commander."

"Sorry for eavesdropping, but we are coming with you."

"Tone, Pulse!" gasped the black tiger. "What are you two doing here?"

"Well, we were bored out of our collective CPU…"

"…And we both know what commander Zero means for all of us..."

"…So we are coming along and you will have to scrap us to prevent us."

Axl felt as if a weight had been removed from his shoulders. "You guys...Thank you. It will be easier now. Let's go then!!"

X leaned heavily against the door and smiled bitterly. "Good luck Axl, good luck Tone and Pulse. Find Zero. I will just wait for you here and do my best too. Alone..."

**-c-c-**

"So your father is a scientist? Do you have any relation to Dr. Light, the legendary researcher from 20XX?"

It was the second day of their journey and Amanda had finally opened up, even smiled. Zero felt responsible for her even though he was a bit disturbed by her smile and her long brown hair. It reminded him the smile of somebody he knew a long time ago and really cared about. Somebody he killed with his very own hands...

"Hey, are you even listening?" inquired the girl, somewhat miffed.

He turned to her abruptly. "Wha...Oh, I guess I zoned out a bit. You were saying?"

"I said that though there is a possibility that me and my father are descendants of Dr. Light, all the archives are lost. The wars spared nothing. Not even Dr. Light himself can verify it."

Zero turned and regarded Amanda, curiously cocking a brow. "What do mean?"

She realized what she had just said and stuttered. "Oh...I mean....you will see when we get there. By the way, why won't you tell me your name? And what you were thinking a minute ago?"

Zero sighed. He couldn't even begin to explain without reciting what happened in the last few wars. "I don't want anyone to know where I am. And what I was thinking is my own business, thank you very much", he replied, a bit harsher than what he intended.

Amanda let a cute pout decorate her face. "You are mean...But I am sure I have seen you somewhere before. I know a lot about reploids and I must have seen your shape in our archives. I just can't remember, but I will, I always do."

"Whatever..." _Damn, why do they have to look so alike..._

They soon started walking between two really high stone walls, mere meters apart. It was obvious that unknown forces have splinted the mountain in half, leaving an easy trail for everyone to use.

_And a great place for an ambush._

Amanda soon noticed Zero's apprehension. "Hey, why are you so nervous all of a sudden? Have you seen anything?"

"No, but something is here."

"You worry too...HEY."

Zero grabbed Amanda from the waist and leaped backwards twice. A moment later, the ground below them exploded and a giant worm mechaniloid shot upwards, blocking the sun, freshly-dug soil running from its armored spines.

"Oh, no. What will we do now. We can't pass this thing", exclaimed the human girl, clearly panicking.

Zero shrugged and activated his saber, holding it in his left hand. "Well, there is no other way. Stay here for a while."

Amanda grabbed his arm. "What do you think you are doing? You are no match for this thing!"

Zero turned and smirked. "We shall see."

"This is not a joke. Hey come back!"

She blinked and tried to follow his movement but her eyes failed her. A second later, he was on the top of the behemoth, stabbing his saber at its optic sensors. The infuriated worm shot forward, meaning to crush the bothersome reploid against the stone wall. He jumped at the last possible moment, as the worm's head became embedded inside granite, then dashed and rolled from one side of the worm's body to the other, his saber extended. Seriously hurt, the mechaniloid stopped trying to disengage from the wall and attempted to burrow deeper in it, meaning to escape the red bomber. Zero landed in front of a very stunned Amanda and formed his already charging buster on his right hand. The first shot blew away the worm's already damaged armor. The second shot followed rapidly, exposing the mechaniloid's innards. Lastly, the crescent wave emitted from his saber split the foe in half. Critically wounded, it squirmed for a while longer, then stopped moving for good, its head half remaining embedded on the wall like a morbid banner.

Amanda eyed the hunter in disbelief. He had just killed a mechaniloid twenty times his size without a scratch and without even breaking a sweat. "How did you do that?"

Zero shrugged indifferently. "Well, it was almost good exercise."

"I am sure I have heard about that three hit combo from somewhere. Why can't I remember. Hey, wait for me!"

The crimson hunter merely evened his pace instead of stopping. "Well, start walking already. This trip is getting boring."

**-c-c-**

"Well, commander? Have you learned anything?"

"Hey, I told you two to stop calling me commander. The war is over."

"Sorry, Axl. Any news."

The black tiger smiled while pretending to polish his armor with his fingers. "I heard some rumors and I think we have a match, Tone", he declared merrily.

The violet-colored reploid quirked a brow. "What kind of rumors?"

Axl's smile reached his ears. "About a red and green flash going around and saving some of the villagers from rogue wolf mechaniloids. We are heading to the site of that battle now."

After a while, they reached a small river stream. The area around was littered with parts and energy fluid stains of something that used to resemble a pack of mechanical dogs. Many of the parts had obviously been scavenged, but what remained was mainly the most damaged components.

"Yep, that was him alright", decided Pulse without missing a bit. "Only commander Zero would do such precise cuts.

"Wow, he made mincemeat of something like thirty of them before they could even think to retaliate", added Tone, clearly awed. Even after fighting next to the red legend, he had trouble believing his optic sensors.

Axl was not that impressed, or rather he had come to expect such sights. "Well, it **is** Zero we are talking about. He is heading directly east of Arcadia. Let's go guys."

"Yes comm... I mean Axl."

**-c-c-**

At the beginning of the third day of their travel, Zero and Amanda reached a great cybernetic forest. "My home is just a bit further, Mr. mysterious reploid. I hope you can stay for a few days. I would really like to see how your systems are shaped", chirped Amanda, futilely trying to hide her excitement.

Zero threw her an incredulous glare. _Great, now I have met a female Douglas. What comes next? A pacifist Sigma?_

"I'm kidding, don't look at me like that!"

The red warrior decided to change subject. "Anyway, I see this forest is far from natural. What are these machines?"

"Well, this is part of a pretty old experiment. By creating trees that can reproduce mechanical parts, we achieve greater durability and faster growth. Also there are monitoring devices that determine the health of every tree in the forest and decide which parts need more energy and which should be removed altogether. The whole system is automatic, so when the experiment finished, the forest continued to grow."

Zero raised a brow. "You seem to know much about it."

"Actually, it was my grandfather that made the experiment. I have already found some ways to improve it, by attaching solar cells and by calibrating..."

As the Light girl continued droning on and on about esoteric technologies he would have to download whole libraries to understand, he mentally winced. _This will be a long trek..._

After a while, the forest ended abruptly and the suddenly barren and scorched ground degraded into a deep, uneven chasm. The bottom of the chasm was barely visible and full of jagged rock formations.

Zero turned to Amanda. "Tell me you are not lost."

She smiled and just walked forward. Before Zero could stop her, she reached the edge of the ledge and vanished. Zero blinked a few times then approached and tested the air after the edge. Part of his foot disappeared in thin air and he felt solid ground under his boot. Then he heard Amanda's voice. "Are you going to stay there the whole day? It is just an illusion."

Zero shrugged and simply walked forward, ignoring his mind that screamed for him to stop. For a second, he could only see a twirl of colors, then his eyes passed through the thin sheet of illusion and he found himself in a forest groove. In the middle, loomed what seemed to be an giant old fortress, flora trying to claim it back by ascending on its walls. Following Amanda, he entered through the main gate and passed a great number of rooms and side-corridors. The more he walked into the building, the cleaner the rooms got.

"Sorry about the mess, but only five people live here and we don't really need all these rooms, so we clean only what's needed", she claimed, quite a bit embarrassed.

They finally entered a great chamber, filled with random machinery and resembling a mix between a living room and a truly advanced laboratory. Barring some explosion marks on the roof, the room was spotlessly clean and quite cozy.

As soon as Amanda entered, four persons left what they were doing and rushed to her. A middle-aged man wearing a white lab suit hugged her with suffocating fervor. "Amanda, where have you been? What happened to you?" he demanded unnerved.

She smiled to alleviate his worry. "I was kidnapped by some vicious reploids, dad, but this person here saved me and brought me home."

A young woman in her twenties, wearing a mechanic's uniform placed her hands on her hips and berated her. "Well, young lady, you were lucky this time, but you won't be travelling alone from now. Am I clear?" she chided in thick accent.

The other occupants of the room were two small-framed reploids with identical features and clothes but inverted color scheme, who proceeded to cheer for Amanda's return. Meanwhile, the middle-aged man and the young woman approached Zero.

"My name is Professor Light. We can never repay you enough for saving my daughter", he exclaimed reverently.

The young woman smirked and added. "Yeah, she might be dumb and a horrid mechanic but she's better for conversation than the old geezers or the two buffoons over there", she said indicating the two reploids, clad in black and white, that were currently all around Amanda. "I'm Linda by the way, nice to meet ya. And you are?" she inquired, wiping her hands on a dirty rag to remove the coating of machine oil before shaking Zero's hand.

Before he could conjure a reply, another voice echoed in the room, coming from invisible speakers. "I have told you it is not polite to call us 'geezers', Linda. Hi there Zero. Long time no see. I never expected to meet you here."

Hearing his name, everybody else froze. Zero scanned the room and saw the source of the voice. A holographic projection of an old man with an ample white beard, wearing a lab coat.

"Long time, no see, Dr. Light. What are you doing here of all places."

"Well, Professor Light over here was kind enough to gather all the capsules X has used and download their data, merging them together. I thought it would be the end of me when X activated the last capsule and I didn't really mind. But I can't complain I get a chance to live longer. Aren't I a pitiful old man? You have to tell me how X is doing, but first...I think we own them an explanation, if only to remove their jaws from the floor", he said indicating the five stunned individuals.

Linda spoke first. "Heya, handsome, are you really Zero, the maverick hunter?"

A smile found its way on Zero's face as he nodded.

"I knew I had seen you from somewhere, but how could I imagine you were actually a legendary reploid. I should have realized it when you trashed that Mark III centipede mechaniloid, though."

Linda's eyes went wide. "Woah, you are some hot staff there. I know those devils. I even got to disassemble one a year ago."

Professor Light spoke next. "It is a great honor to have the legendary Zero here with us. Please feel free to stay here indefinitely."

The two reploids approached hesitantly, but only one managed to speak. "N..nice to m...meet you sir Z...Zero. I'm Font and this is m...my brother Case."

"Well, Zero, now that you know who is who, I want to hear about my dear child." Zero spent the next three hours reciting the mission in Giga city, the incorporation of the maverick hunters into the Arcadia army, the horrors of the last maverick war and the following Elf Wars. The mood lightened considerably when Zero recounted the rise of Neo-Arcadia.

"So, it seems things are getting better, Zero. I feel happy about that," commented Light's sentient hologram.

The red hunter frowned. "Well, thing couldn't have gotten any worse anyway."

Light nodded somewhat gravely before responding. "So tell me now why you left. I know that there has to be a very important reason for you to leave when X needs you."

Zero sighed, his eyes falling on his hands. The gauntlets were ironically white, when they should have been red like the rest of him. "It is about the virus."

The good doctor sighed. "I understand your concern, but I believe that the virus is completely inactive by now. You have already proven you can keep it under control or even use it."

Zero's retort came like a snarl. "For how long, Dr. Light? This world desperately needs peace. The last thing I want, is to destroy it again. I have to be sure that either the virus and every other possible hazard is dead and buried or that my control is absolute. Failing that, well, I've already died twice. The third time's the charm..."

Everybody in the room remained silent until the looming silence was shattered by Amanda. "You can't be serious, Zero. Blaming yourself for things beyond you is just stupid. However, everybody here is a genius in their own field. I bet we can help you somehow."

Linda added her two Zenny. "Yeah, the shrimp here is right. Her plans are thumbs up, I'm a hecuva mechanic, the two imbeciles there can be some help and, hell, we have the two genius geezers over there. You saved the world more times I'm gonna count and you saved our shrimp too. 'Tis da least we can do for ya."

"What do you think Dr. Light?" inquired Amanda's father formlly, although the undercurrent of mirth was evident.

"I think what you think professor Light. Let's do it. I own him even more than that anyway."

Zero was more than stunned, but recovered very soon. "Well, what can I say. I'm not one to turn down such an offer."

**-c-c-**

Several days passed quickly after that, with everyone having their hands full. Amanda showed great interest about Zero, but he couldn't determine if the girl has fallen in love or just wanted to disassemble him. The two Lights were hard at work, scanning his systems multiple times and analyzing the data again and again. While Font and Case tried to find the courage to talk to the crimson reploid, Linda spent hours talking to him while strolling around, trying to coordinate everybody else, or fixing some random wrecked device. He quickly realized that the way she spoke was merely a facade, for her accent would sometimes vanish faster than Dynamo on the run. At the end of the week, Dr. and professor Light gathered everyone around them.

"Would you mind, professor Light?"

"Be my guest, Dr Light."

The digitalized scientist chuckled a bit to himself before starting his explanation. "Thank you. Well Zero, I think we have some chances, but I'm not going to lie to you. It will be dangerous."

Zero smirked. "Well, it's not like the rest of my life has been even remotely safe. I am ready to take any risk and, to tell the truth, in this short time I have grown to trust all of you."

"Allow me to tell you some details. You must know that, unfortunately, I hadn't moved all my knowledge from my human form when my body died. I can't remember how some of X's systems work. You already know that 60 percent of your design is based on X's. The other 40 percent is..."

"The work of an obsessed lunatic, I know," interrupted Zero, somewhat darkly.

Dr. Light smiled bitterly. "If only Wily would use his genius for good... Anyway, right now we can analyze 70 percent of your systems, which is far more than anyone else has ever achieved. Based on what we found, I believe the remains of the virus will be removed from your body and your DNA core in five thousand years, provided you never try to use it. But, we can speed the procedure to take one century. You will have to remain a bit more than one hundred years in stasis and this might cause memory lapses, especially if something goes wrong. Also, I have no idea what the other 30 percent of your systems could cause. These are the risks and the odds."

Zero sighed, then steeled himself. He wasn't too eager to sleep for so much time, but if he could get rid or learn to control the Zero Virus inside him, it was worth the try. Also, he wasn't so sure he could survive for long in X's peaceful world. Unlike the Lightbot, Zero needed to fight to remain sane. "Whenever you are ready."

Linda walked to him and spoke. "But that's not all, pretty boy. If ya don't mind, we can fix ya up to be stronger. I know that half of ya, we cannot touch, 'tis like alien tech. But the other half, we can make it better."

Zero hesitated a bit. He didn't really like the idea he would wake up even stronger, in case he did go mad someday, the reason he had initially rejected Light's upgrade during the Eurasia crisis. On the other hand, he was a warrior and power was always important. "Well, I don't really think it is necessary..." he tried weakly.

Dr. Light spoke again. "I think it is a great idea, Zero. Whatever you may say, I have faith in you. You said that Weil might be out there and plotting. We know it will take him quite some time to recover Omega; that kid, Axl, made that sure. But he will be back and you might have to face him again."

Zero sighed in resignation. "Very well, everyone. I place my life in your hands. It seems it will be a century too peaceful for me, anyway." His eyes fell to the floor.

"Heya, don't be so gloomy and a' that there. We will take care of ya, sure we will."

**-c-c-**

The soldiers were scared to death, but they kept their ground, their hand cannons ready. The twenty tiger mechaniloids rushed to them, barely hindered by the spray of weak shots. Their eyes and teeth gleamed in the morning sun, promising infinite pain and death. Just before they could tear into the now faltering infantry, A blue and white flash descended from the sky and crashed into their front ranks. The mechaniloids were swiftly and efficiently retired.

As X touched the ground, reverting to his casual armor, the soldiers hailed him like he was the avatar of a god. He smiled to them and slowly took his leave back to his more mundane duties. As soon as he went out of sight, his fake smile dropped, revealing his mental weariness.

_I'm happy that I managed to save them but...I feel lonely. I have been fighting together with Zero and Axl for a long time. I don't want to be alone and I have to continue to fight. I couldn't go with them, that I could not..._

An idea struck his head.

_I don't have to be alone. At least I can have some help and some company. I will build four reploids to be my trusted companions and guard Neo-Arcadia. Even if I some day seize to exist, my father's dream will live on._

He closed his eyes in regret.

_Once again, we have to prepare for war to maintain peace. Was Zero correct about peace that cannot last forever? It sounds logical, but it is so sad..._

**-c-c-**

(revision notes): Apart from some editing and polishing, nothing has changed. I did alter Light's words a bit to foreshadow the newer chapters, but nothing plot-important.


	5. Resolve and raid

Welcome, welcome. We are gathered here today to witness the fifth chapter of this experimental attempt. But first, a word from some friends:

Light and Light: (absorbed in heated conversation about nanostrings, ignoring the audience.)

Linda: (Waves hand as she munches a 20XX gum with a vengeance.)

Font and Case: (Blush furiously in front of audience, while polishing Zero's saber with awe.)

Amanda: (smiles devilishly and approaches a sweatdropping Zero, holding a screwdriver.)

Archaon: Sigh, they are too busy now. Sorry everybody, this won't happen again. (produces XD spiked mallet(tm)).

CENCORED---

* * *

Chapter 5: Resolve and raid

"Fetch me a No. 32 wrench."

The timid reploid rushed and started shuffling a huge pile of random tools.

"So, what's your story? You don't seem to be related to Professor Light."

"Oh, I bet you wanna know, Zero. Hey, Font. Where the hell is the wrench?"

"C...coming Linda. I almost found it."

"Yeah, 'almost' being da key word here. Move it you dimwit. I ain't have all day ya know."

"Well, since you seem to know most of **my** story, I wouldn't mind learning a bit about five weird people and a ghost in a machine living in a cloaked rundown fortress in the middle of a semi-mechanical forest."

"It ain't as exiting as ya might think 'tis. Simply put, Professor Light's late wife picked up a homeless brat that worked in a repair store and brought her up. That's me. Amanda was born soon afterwards. As for two cretins, the one o' which I'm gonna unplug his ear and use it for a damn wrench, we just found them and fixed them."

"H...here it is, Linda. Sorry I was late."

"Yeah, you oughta' be sorry."

Linda returned to prying open a part of Zero's armor that laid on the workbench. Zero was wearing a casual robe over his black undershirt.

After a while, Linda let out a whistle. "Well, I'll be damned. The inside support mechanism is unique. Never seen something like that and never again will. But I can make your armor better, ya know. Stronger an' less bulkier, lighter too. I can make it repair 'tiself faster. And we can engrave it in your DNA core to make it part o' yourself. You don't mind, do you?"

Zero smiled. "You let your accent slip again."

Linda frowned. "Aw, screw dat. I take it for a yes. Will take quite a while, but ya do have time, don't ya?"

"I said I trust all of you. I don't mind you being lazy or anything."

"Which reminds me. Font! Quit slacking 'round you lazy piece o' scrap and get me a No. 54 drill. And where is that good fo' nothing brother of yours?"

"H...here is the drill, Linda. Case is helping Dr. and Professor Light with that new device they bought. It is called a trans-server."

"If I catch those three peeping at dat damn dirty magazines instead o' working again, I'll rough them for good. Font! The saw No. 6 and today if ya don't mind."

"Y...yes Linda."

* * *

The next six months passed in a flash, everybody being busy with Zero. The red hunter himself enjoyed some much needed peace and serenity, though he would never confess it and started feeling a part of the weird family. Not one to sit down and rust, he spent his days helping everybody, training , not wanting to lose his edge and forgetting himself a bit of the grief that dominated him.

"Tomorrow is the day, Zero. You still have time to change your mind. A century is a long time and many things can happen. I can't guarantee your safety."

"You know my answer, Dr Light. I won't change my mind."

"I thought so, Zero. I only hope we are worthy of your trust."

"By the way, is there any hope to send something to Arcadia safely?"

Dr. Light's image smiled. "You want to contact X. The poor kid must be lonely."

"Not really. I left Axl behind too. Those two can make great things together."

"About your question, you can use that new trans-server. It's like teleporting, but it consumes much less energy and it is a bit bulkier."

"Thanks doctor. I really need to send him something. You said you wanted to keep your presence secret though?"

Dr. Light sighed, visibly distressed. "I would really want to see X again and to witness the peace he strives for. But I am a dead man now. It is better to stay like that and let X stand on his own."

"I know what you mean doctor. I know it well."

* * *

"Excuse me to bother you, master X, but a package came to you via trans-server. We can't determine the source and I was ready to dispose of it, but you might want to check it."

X sighed visibly, resigned to the fact that he would never get used to the title. "Very well. Bring it here."

As the servant bowed and left, X regarded the package with curiosity. It seemed to contain a small, tube-like object that was wrapped in cheap paper. He gingerly opened it and then froze, staring at what was inside for a long time, his mind vainly trying to grasp the magnitude of the sight.

Laying on the now opened package was a silver tube made of some unknown material. Despite its constant use, there wasn't a single dent or scratch on it. X was familiar with the object. Too familiar, since he had kept it safe before, many decades ago. Nobody had been able to analyze, duplicate or effectively use it, except its real owner and had saved X's life many times before.

Engraved on its flawless side, there were two letters, two initials. "W" and "Z".

Along came a rough and hastily written note.

_I found what I was looking for, but it will take quite a long time. Don't try to find me and keep what I send you until I need it again._

_Zero._

At long last, X picked up the object and regarded it with awe, as though expecting answers but receiving none.

Zero's Z-saber.

* * *

"So this is the place, master? I can see nothing more than a godforsaken chasm in the middle of the forest."

"This is indeed the place. The readings are clear. It seems it is protected with some kind of illusional wall of great quality."

"Should all eight of us go down there, master?"

"No need. Your target is currently deactivated. Three of you will be more than enough."

"Yes master, we will proceed with due haste."

"Remember, you must retrieve the target unharmed and avoid terminating anything else. We have to maintain a low profile."

"Yes master."

One thousand meters below this scene and inside the moldy walls of the ancient fortress, the Light family was hard at work, though some of its members were grim. Amanda and Linda in particular were in a really foul mood.

"Thrice damn ya, Case. Bring dat screwed component already. We have work to do here."

"Auntie Linda is right! Hurry Font. Help your brother now."

Professor Light approached the two girls. "Don't lash on the poor reploids. What is the matter?"

Linda was in critically foul mood. "Shut yer mouth, ya old geezer. All of us have work t' do. Poor Zero depends on us, but we 're too damn lazy 'round here."

Amanda reacted differently. She hugged her father and started sobbing, while words left her mouth. "Why does he have to suffer so much, father. He saved all of us, but he keeps bashing himself. I am pretty sure that he greatly reduced his part in the stories he told us. And those last months, he was... like a part of the family. And I...". Amanda faltered again seeking consolation into her father's arm.

"It's okay, Amanda. He is not dead. He had to do that and you know it."

"Damn right she does. Get a hold on yerself you damn shrimp and do some damn work. I'm still waiting that damn arm armor plan. And damn, something got in my eye. Too much dust in this rundown hovel."

"You swear too much, Linda. I know you too are sad, but think of the job at hand. I only regret I can't offer more than just guidance", said Dr. Light through the speakers.

"Yeah, like ya know ya messed up ghost geezer damn genius. Hold yer mouth if ya have nothing handy to say."

Both Lights sighed in unison and regarded what was at the middle of the chamber. Zero was lying on a metal table, his body connected with a multitude of wires that produced from a great variety of support machinery. His new armor was partially completed and many of his inner systems were exposed, revealing standard reploid components and parts that seemed truly alien. The supporting systems both allowed him to survive and prevented him from waking up, maintaining his stasis.

A loud noise caused everybody in the room to halt their work and turn abruptly towards the door's direction. Without warning, three reploids entered the room and scanned their surroundings. They were dressed in white, wearing white capes with gold trimming and green clasps. Their eyes sparkled a pink unnatural color and their faces were decorated with gold markings. The first was a female, her neat white locks reaching her shoulders. The other two were males, the second of average height and build, his hair resembling twin thunders, his visage obnoxious. The third was almost taller than the other two combined, his frame almost gigantic, his eyes revealing little intelligence.

Linda was the first to react. "Who da hell are you and what do you want here. Start talkin' or get da hell out."

"Oh dear, what a foul mouth. I believe we ought to conclude our business here soon and leave those peasants. I don't want to lose the afternoon tea", said the second reploid.

The female reploid giggled teasingly. "Don't worry, we will just take what we want and then we will leave", she said, indicating Zero's body.

Amanda reacted fast, grabbing a giant, buster-like weapon and letting a searing beam towards the three interlopers. The second one moved a bit too slow and the beam clipped his shoulder, leaving a nasty gash. At the same time, Linda rushed forward, using the wrench she was holding as a club and smashing it on the female's head, following with a twin kick combo that sprawled her backwards. Case and Font sneaked behind the giant, then Case grabbed a thick wire, forming a lasso and throwing it upwards. The wire caught the third reploid's neck, suffocating him and making him to instinctively lean backwards. At the same time, Font dashed right on the giant's legs, causing the already unbalanced reploid to collapse on the floor, were he could not avoid a plasma shot from Professor Light that caught him squarely on the face.

"My, my what a gang of vulgars. We will have to show them a lesson, I believe." The second reploid extended his hand and the ensuing electric shock caused Amanda's buster to short-circuit. She threw it away at the last second before it exploded, sparing herself some limbs.

The first reploid smiled wickedly and caused a fiery blast in front of her, that sent Linda flying backwards. "Don't mess with me, lass, or I will hurt you."

The third reploid rose faster than his bulk should allow and kicked Case and Font, sending them right on professor Light, effectively disabling all three opponents.

"Can I smash them?", he asked in a baritone voice.

The female giggled again. "Let them be, you brute. They are nothing, one way or another."

"Indeed, and may I remind you that our master's orders discourage such behavior in this mission."

The three reploids approached the table were Zero's body lied.

"Is that Zero? He seems so weak and tiny."

"Teehee, he is kind of cute, though."

The second reploid sighed. "Regardless, he seems to be deactivated, as our master said. Let's proceed with the mission."

He started disengaging the wires one by one, causing the machinery to gradually stop humming. When the last cable went out of the way, he motioned the large reploid to lift Zero's body up. The brute complied and extended his hand towards the deactivated reploid.

Suddenly, the eyes of the three reploids went wide, as their sensors indicated a large concentration of energy emitting from the apparently idle body in front of them. Milliseconds later, Zero's body was engulfed by an eerie purple aura, his eyes shot open and his hand shot forward, grabbing and stopping the brute's hand with ease. The large reploid regarded his opponent's hand incredulously. Though it seemed incomplete, many components and wires dangling from it and though the brute was tugging with all his might desperately, his hand remained motionless, as if encased in solidified metal that was once liquid. Zero's eyes shone darkly and a wicked smile found its place on his face. All nine persons in the room stared with awe, as the crimson hunter slowly clenched his fist, scrapping the giant's hand in the process and eventually severing it. As the brute fell back, screaming in pain, Zero rose up, ignoring the many of his exposed components. His voice was trance-like and it seemed he just spoke to himself.

"Primary objective acknowledged. Terminate Megaman X."

As Zero started walking forward, the second reploid released a huge electric discharge on him, intending to deactivate his bothersome target swiftly and efficiently. When he looked again, Zero was nowhere to be found. A gigatone punch smashed half-way into his back, bypassing his armor and sent him crashing on a far wall like a rug doll, cracking the barrier and leaving a huge dent. As the crimson death walked forward, the female rushed ahead and stood valiantly in front of him, releasing as a strong flamethrower attack as she could muster. For a while she was afraid she might damage Zero's body beyond repair, but she dared not relent after seeing her opponent's raw strength. A hand, shielded by a raging dark purple aura, emerged from the flames and grabbed her hand like a force metal vice. A second hand grabbed her neck and with a sickening sound, Zero tore her arm from her torso, burnt circuitry cackling and she keening, and discarded the two pieces as they were nothing but junk. The third reploid, having somewhat recovered from the pain, lunged desperately from behind. Before he had a chance to connect, Zero span around rabidly, his hand grabbing the reploid's face and stopping him in midair, holding him still effortlessly. He regarded the giant as if he was nothing more than a bug, then moved his hand downwards, smashing the brute's head right through the granite floor and pushing him down to the waist. Resuming his march, Zero all but ignored the door and walked a straight line, penetrating the metal and cement walls like they were made of flimsy porcelain.

Several minutes later, the three crippled reploids managed to rise and followed the berserk hunter with as much speed as their injured bodies could muster.

At long last, the other occupants of the chamber rose.

"Father, what happened to Zero? I have never seen him like that."

"Shit! We could do nothing but spit on their faces and Zero trashed 'em like they were nothing with his body incomplete an' with bare hands. Who da hell were those damned 'ploids and where da hell is Zero now."

"Allow me to explain." Every person in the room turned to regard Dr. Light, whose face was grim. " What you saw was a manifestation of the original maverick virus that was made by Dr. Wily. It was the very thing Zero came here to purge."

Professor Light scratched his head. "But why would it be unleashed now?"

Linda was furious. "More importantly, ya geezers, how are we gonna save Zero."

Dr. Light smiled faintly. "I believe those reploids were sent here by Dr. Wail. In any case we can do nothing about them now." Everybody's face fell, but the scientist continued. "But the hope is not lost and we can still help Zero. The reason his base programming was initiated was because the two most important parts of his body were missing when he exited stasis." He indicated at a far desk, where two complex components lied.

A control circuit and a DNA core.

Zero's mind and heart.

Professor Light was still unsure. "But we can't rebuild his body. We may have all the data in the DNA core, but we cannot comprehend all of them."

"First of all we will alter the core to include all the breakthrough additions we intended to incorporate into his body and some additional ones. After that, we can use a strong healing cyber-elf to build the base frame structure. Then we will try using my custom nano-machines to rebuild the body as it should be, according to the DNA core data. If we place the control circuit to its place, I believe his body will be almost ready when he wakes up from the century-long stasis. Don't forget, the virus is still in those remaining components. With that method, we don't have to understand what we build, but we can do that only once, so as soon as you recover from that thrashing, we will get back to work."

"I still think we should try save da original body, Light. Can a copy be as good as da real thing?"

Dr, Light smiled again. "If we let the core untouched, it would result in a perfect copy, indistinguishable from the original, perhaps even better because it would have suffered no damage. But now, we might as well name him Zero MK 5. Wait till I tell you about the form changes and the chip upgrades I have thought."

* * *

Axl was really angry with himself. He had lost Zero's trail and the small team had to backtrack quite a bit, losing many weeks in trying to find the right path.

"Don't be so down, Axl. We will find him eventually and bring him back", said Tone, trying to cheer up his former commander.

"My brother is right, you know. It's not that Zero can't take care of himself", added Pulse.

"Thank you guys. We will not return to X until we find him. Let's pick up the pace."

After awhile, they reached a mountain that seemed as if it was split in half by an angry god, leaving a narrow trail in its middle. Then, they noticed the peculiar scene. A mechaniloid worm, its head stuck in one of the stone walls and its body cut neatly in the middle.

"Woah, that would have been something to see", said Pulse.

Axl approached and examined the remains, admiring the slashwork. "There is no doubt. All those years I have only seen one beam weapon cutting through energy resistant armor like that. We are back on his trail. Let's move it."

As they started walking again, the ground trembled beneath their feet. A second mechaniloid worm, identical to the first, rose up and attacked the three friends.

"Where are those things coming from? It seems like the whole planet is filled with maverick mechaniloids."

"We have to kill it to pass through, Axl."

"Let's get to it."

The giant worm thrashed violently, causing large chunks of rock to shift from their places and come crashing down on the team. Axl and Pulse dodged them quite easily, while Tone simply split any rock that came near his body with his sickle. The behemoth opened his mouth to reveal a massive ion cannon, which charged and unleashed a wide constant ion beam. Tone extended his blue energy shield, while Axl and Pulse rushed behind him. The shield managed to stop the ion charge, but the mere proximity caused a raging headache to all three reploids. Pulse phased in his six cannons and started to alternatively charging and shooting the blasts on the inside of his brother's shield. That resulted into a volley of blue energy rings that stunned the mechaniloid. Exploiting his chance, Axl used his boosters to propel himself at the same level where the worm's optic sensors lied. With one hand, he shot a charged plasma globe right into the left sensor, while he placed his other hand on the right one, morphing it to produce a plasma blade, in effect rendering the mechaniloid blind.

As he touched the ground, he was distracted by a certain object flying above the mountain. It was a flying circular machine, featuring four thrusters that kept it airborne and propelled it forward. He noticed considerable firepower and defense systems, but what caught his attention was the energy cage hanging from one of its sides. Magnifying the image, he recognized the cage's unconscious occupant all too well. Zero.

He never anticipated the worm's tail that blindly swept the field and caught him squarely on the back, slamming him on the stone wall. At the same time, Pulse primed all his cannons at once and shot downwards, propelling himself high in the air, while Tone jumped on his brother's entwined and extended hands, then jumped again as they reached the highest point of Pulse's leap. Having ascended above the worm, he slammed his charged sickle at the worm's head, using his weight to further strengthen the impact. As the sickle's edge split the head armor and reached the mechaniloid's control core, the behemoth fell to the ground with a thud, obviously quite dead.

Tone and Pulse rushed at Axl who was still dazed from the hit and had suffered some minor injuries to match the dents on his armor.

As he came around, he shot up and indicated the flying vessel that was now no more than a speck on the horizon. "I saw him! Zero was kept prisoner in that thing. Come on, run. We won't get back to Arcadia until we save him and that is a promise."

The three reploids dashed forward, towards the sun's dusk, ignoring some very important facts...

* * *

In the next eighty years, nothing important happened.

Neo-Arcadia became a strong city, head of a world-wide nation, though there were some minor maverick reploid incidents for the first forty years. After that, the only real threat was the rogue mechaniloids. It was obvious they were produced somewhere, but the source remained unknown. Human and reploid, concentrated into tight clusters of civilization and under the just leadership of X and his four guardians, tried to survive and thrive in a world that has become hostile.

The Light family improved Zero's DNA core and managed to make his body to start regenerating slowly. They placed multiple seals and made sure the support systems would last for double the required time. Then they left their home to help rebuild the world, though they did that with utmost secrecy. Their fate is unknown.

Axl and the Tone and Pulse brothers are reported missing. X spends time occasionally staring at the night sky and preying for their safe return to whatever god might listen.

Weil and his loyal servants remain hidden, waiting for the right time. The eight reploids, known as the "Weil's numbers" were given a second, stronger form and are ready and willing to fight. Weil tried to analyze Zero's body but without the DNA core he could do little and without the control circuit he could barely contain its rage. He found a method to merge the body with Omega's and now tries to retrieve Omega himself, though his accidentally launched space shuttle is uncontrollably roaming inside the solar system.

* * *

The room was large by any standards, featuring a wide balcony that allowed anybody standing on it to get a great view of the city far below. The interior was sparsely furnished, almost spartan, combining its uses as a bedroom and as an office with as little equipment as possible. It included a simple bed that seemed to have suffered little use, a metal and glass table along with three awkward metallic chairs, a large desk crammed with stacks upon stacks of paper with a slightly more comfortable seat behind it and a great multipurpose locker. Everything inside the room was colored in shades of green and white and a wide vent on the ceiling allowed some of the now fading starlight to pass through.

The first rays of sunlight crept through the window, illuminating the room and causing the artificial light to fade, then turn off altogether. The tall figure with a young, almost childlike face sitting behind the desk sighed, as he placed his signature on yet another official document. He leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes while holding three fingers on his forehead.

"Well, I guess even reploids can get migraines", he said in no one in particular. Regarding the remaining stacks of paper he sighed again and decided he needed a break. He rose from the chair and straightened his green, white and golden official robes, then passed his hands through his short green hair.

Walking out on his terrace, he looked at the city that encircled the palace he was in. The buildings were tall, with many windows that sparkled in the morning sun and the lanes between them were filled with a wide variety of vehicles. Among the skyscrapers there were many large specks of green, indicating spaces reserved for the much-needed flora.

He turned his eyes inside the palace compound to see a lone figure walking towards an olympic-sized outdoor pool. She was female and dressed in blue and white, her matching blue hair reaching her waist. She executed an uncanny jump and dived gracefully into the glowing surface, disrupting the water's serenity.

The scene caused him to extend his break and at least acquire some breakfast. Though reploids could get all the energy they needed via direct charge, most of them were capable and enjoyed to gain nutrition the way humans did. He opened his room's door and found himself in a large corridor. He walked towards the corridor's end, passing three other doors and ignoring the ground-shaking snores emitting from one of them. After some more corridors, he reached a chamber resembling a dinning hall. As he walked towards the ration container, he registered the presence of another person nearby. A second door opened and a fully armored figure walked inside.

He was shorter than the first, his armor white and dark blue, almost black, with gold trimming. His helmet was V shaped, with a red orb embedded at his forehead and a metal short sword was strapped on his back, under his black and red cape.

"Good morning, Harpuia. Why are you up so early, did something happen?"

The green haired figure smiled wearily. "Well, to tell you the truth, I worked all night through again, Phantom."

"Well, let me guess. Filling your share of documents again? You should try to speed them up a bit."

"Yeah? What about you, you smart guy?"

Phantom smirked. "I finished this month's work a week ago. You should do that too soon. I'm bored of practicing alone."

"Well, some sparring might be just what it is needed to clear my mind. What is the score?"

"The last time I checked I had 234 wins, 233 losses and 50 draws. You might get lucky this time and even the score, if you don't suffocate yourself in paperwork that is."

"Hey, I'm not so bad. Have you seen Fefnir and Leviathan?"

Phantom nearly laughed aloud. "At least Leviathan has the tact to hide the documents somewhere. In a few months, Fefnir will have to sleep at the corridor if that goes on."

After a while, Harpuia's face became serious again. "Is master X still out?"

"Yes, he went at the forest of Notus again. I'm worried about him."

"Me too. There is something there he wants to keep hidden, but that's not all. We have been at his side for the past twenty years and, as the time passes, he becomes more and more reclusive. Something is bothering him."

"I know what you mean. In the past, we would all laugh together about something insignificant, or he would share tales of the old. But these days he hardly smiles anymore, as if he has lost hope."

"And in times of emergency, he will do anything to avoid fighting, though he is stronger than all four of us combined. Do you believe it is self loathing?"

"I don't know, but..."

Phantom was interrupted by a booming voice coming from hidden speakers. #**Mechaniloid sighting close to the city. The four guardians should prepare themselves and proceed to the command center as soon as possible.** #

Harpuia removed his robe, remaining with his white undershirt and phased in his green, white and golden armor while running next to Phantom. They rushed into the command center which was busting with activity, only to find Leviathan waiting for them, her blue, white and golden armor donned, spear on hand.

"Well, the two little boys decided to grace us with their presence, I see."

Harpuia sighed. "Spare me, Leviathan. I had a headache a minute ago. What is the situation?"

She indicated a 3-dimensional screen. "A great variety of mechaniloids are coming close. I think..."

At the same time, a loud bang demolished the door, causing every operator inside the room to jump. Fefnir, holding the unhinged door in one hand, smiled sheepishly. "What is the problem?"

Phantom was smirking. "Well, that was one grand entrance. You surpassed even me."

Harpuia scowled. " The worst problem at the moment is a red clad brute that trashes our command center."

"Aw, come on. I didn't do it in purpose."

Leviathan managed to suppress her mirth. "As I was saying, before a certain combat nerd interrupted me, I think they want to attack the city. Since master X is absent, the second in command will decide."

Harpuia sighed. "Very well, we four will engage the enemy, cause as much damage as we can and allow the rest of our forces to assemble." He turned to his most trusted subordinates. "Aztec Falcon, you will lead the army in my stead and come to our help with half our forces. Panter Flauclaws, you will remain on stand-by with the rest of the army and guard the city."

"Yes, general", they both said in unison, then left.

Leviathan cocked a brow. "Isn't that considered an overkill? They are not so many of them. We might be able to take them down by ourselves."

Fefnir made a thumps-up and said. "Well, overkill is good."

Phantom chuckled. "Well, our big friend is a bit exaggerating, but better safe than sorry, they say."

"My thoughts exactly. Operator, prepare for transfer at the given coordinates" requested Harpuia.

"Yes, general."

* * *

Well, this chapter became a monster again and I had to cut it before a certain blond, young, female, pink-clad, workaholic, guilt-ridden, genius scientist appeared. You will never guess her name:-) Anyway, the next chapter belongs mostly to her.

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** Yes, there are so many of those damn black plot-holes, I might have slipped already. Ha! I can drink the coffee and the sugar will stop, but you can't save everywhere, so you can't push the button any time (XD).

**To Myhi:** Welcome! Yes, I want to publicly announce that I** am** absolutely insane. Thanks for the good words. Zero is (obviously) my favorite too. The Msword's spell check is the only reason you can understand this fic at all, but the grammar check usually wants to turn my passive voice into active for some reason...To be honest, I have read about the saber too, but I conveniently ignored it for three reasons: a)Not sure it is official. b)For the sake of coolness( kakoi and all that.) c)I just had to give some credit to Wily.

**To DeyaX:** I never intended to kill Axl. That would cause divine retribution;-). But, as you can see, he is currently inactive and will remain so, at least for a while. Update soon too.

**To Uzu-Chan:** Welcome too! As you have realized by now, this is not AU but placed between MMX and MMZ and will hopefully include all MMZ series (in the far future XD), but not as a novelization. I hope you are not disappointed:-) Note that when I wrote this, I have only seen two of your reviews.

A trivia: The names in MMZ are peculiar. "Notus" and "Dysis" roughly mean "north" and "west" in Greek...Arcadia is actually a place. Imagine a tiny state. And "Elpis" means "hope" while "Elpizo" is the verb "to hope". I smell a conspiracy...

And a note: If you think Harpuia and especially Phantom are a bit off character, remember that the mentioned X is the original one. Copy X is not around yet and that is important...


	6. Onslaught and omen

Do you want a guardian battle scene? (audience snores)

(Zero uses his saber on Tone's shield, causing a screeching noise, like fingernails an a plate or on a blackboard.)

Do you want a guardian battle scene now? (audience sweatdrops and claps)

Then you will have to wait a bit, Nyuu! (Only for those who know what that means...)

* * *

Chapter 6: Onslaught and omen

He would never chose to teleport in this place. That kind of action leaves trails. Trails that can be followed.

X entered the ruins hesitantly, as if the stonework floor would just rush and swallow him alive.

_I should have become familiar with this place. I have been visiting it too often those last months._

He reminded himselfthe real reason he was hesitant. He felt responsible for the dark elf. He was the one who had completed her, filling the gaps that prevented her from awakening and throwing her power against the maverick threat. He was the one he could not protect her from Wail, who seized the chance to alter her programming and exploited her. He was the one responsible for the loss of so much life.

X leaned on one of the ancient, mold-ridden walls and sighed. "How much longer can I last, Zero? I thought that by building the guardians I could replace the part of me that was lost when you left. But, of course, I was wrong. It's like the world has changed. Or am I the one who changed?"

Realizing the futility of his words, he tried to dismiss the distressing thoughts, concentrating on the task at hand. After much walking and many lethal protection systems, he reached the heart of the ruins. The room seemed to be small, but one of its walls was actually made of massive machinery, a large glowing eye-like symbol in the middle. The dark elf's prison.

Keeping anything imprisoned hurt X to his core, but he fully understood the catastrophic potential of an entity that was immensely powerful but could not distinguish between right and wrong. The dark elf's behavior was purely chaotic, sometimes complying to the orders or even thoughts of the closest sentient being and sometimes just roaming around without purpose, randomly aiding or destroying. But what really made X anxious was that the power of the former mother elf would not remain stable or even wane, quite the opposite. Since Zero had captured her just after the battle with Wail, her power was steadily growing, even though she was isolated from any kind of energy source.

_If that continues, this seal will prove inadequate. There must be another way to contain her. _

He checked again the power specs the massive machine calculated.There was no error. He spent several minutes contemplating, when his string of thought was severed by a beeping sound from his waist. To avoid any attempt of tracing, he refused to carry any kind of communication means while checking on the dark elf. The machine was only a receiver, designed to acknowledge a distress signal but unable to transmit a response that would pinpoint the user on the radar map of anyone who might be scanning the area. There wasn't even a predetermined code that would allow rudimentary vocabulary to be formed. The signal only meant one thing. Neo-Arcadia was under attack.

* * *

The four guardians appeared on the plain, sandy ground between the raging mechaniloid army and Neo-Arcadia, ready to protect the modern Eden with their lives. The force was consisted of many diverse types of enemies, both land and airborne ones and though most of them were weak, their numbers were legion.

Leviathan produced a visor that enchanted her vision and allowed her to analyze the incoming enemies better. "They are not a coherent force. They just seem to be attracted by something towards the city."

Harpuia's tone was indifferent and almost trance-like as he mentally prepared himself for the battle. "Regardless, we cannot let them pass. I only wish master X was here, their numbers seem to have increased."

"Bah, we can take them down by ourselves just right."

Phantom smiled faintly. "You'd better be more careful this time, Fefnir. Leviathan and I cannot protect your back and both your flanks at the same time."

"Shut up, Phantom. I can battle as well as you can."

Leviathan smirked. "Oh, by the way, how is the practice score between the two of you?"

Fefnir lost a bit of his bluster. "Well, I'm not sure I remember right now..."

"Allow me to refresh your memory, then. You have 700 loses, 22 draws and 15 wins, I believe."

Leviathan just burst into belly-shaking laughter.

"That's only because you won't stand still, ninja boy. It is called cheating."

"Last time I checked, hothead, it was called dodging. Not that you would know much about it, anyway."

"Let's have a real contest then." He indicated the approaching army. "Highest count wins, are you up to it, Phantom?"

Phantom's smile reached his ears. "You bet I am. Be careful not to get burned."

Leviathan stepped between the two. "I won't be left out of that, count me in."

"Keep to your business, woman. You might get hurt", said Fefnir, only half-serious.

An angry, fully serious glare dominated Leviathan's face, but she replaced it with a wicked smile. "Care to remind you our score, you pink buffoon? "

"Hey my armor is red, not pink."

"Anybody can see it's pink."

"Red, I said."

"Pink!"

"Red!"

"Hey, calling you a buffoon didn't bother you at all?", chuckled Phantom.

Harpuia sighed in resignation. More often then not, his companions would behave like children instead of generals, losing the importance of the moment. He wasn't particularly worried about Phantom. The ninja reploid might generally behave nonchalantly, but he was able to keep his wits around him better than anyone. The other two though...

"Pink."

"Red."

* * *

The first wave of attackers was consisted of small but speedy mechaniloid hawks. Their energy-resistant claws sparkled in the morning sun, promising pain and the plasma busters that produced from their mouths were already charging. Each of those plasma shots alone would have been merely an inconvenience, but when combined in large numbers, they could become lethal. As the shots rained on them, Harpuia took to the sky, dodging them, while Fefnir protected his face with his massive buster and let the rest to his trusted armor. Phantom and Leviathan used weapons, a giant suriken and a pink , golden and white spear respectively, spinning them and deflecting the shots.

Harpuia was the first to engage. He flied right in the middle of a concentrated flock, causing his much smaller adversaries to scurry around him instinctively. He reduced the output of one of his thrusters and slightly tilted it, causing his body to spin while flying vertically, then he extended his twin purple beam sabers. Gaining momentum, he rushed into the next group of enemies, leaving a morbid rain of severed parts at his wake.

Phantom expanded his suriken, sending it with unmatched accuracy to slash at the hawks and soon afterwards he appeared on top of it, his feet synchronizing with the weapon's momentum to prevent him from spinning with it. Any enemies that managed to avoid the sharp edges of the flying star found themselves impaled by the even sharper metal saber of the ninja.

The hawks that survived the double assault, pinpointed the other two guardians that were unable to leave the ground, thinking them easy targets. Fefnir and Leviathan fought back to back, the first sending a cataclysm of small but adequate fire shots, the second hailing the flying opponents with sharp ice shards that tore into their artificial wings. Occasionally, some would slip through the bombardment, only to be crushed between Fefnir's buster jaws or be dissected by fluid slashes of Leviathan's spear.

"Feeling a bit rusty today, miss icy?"

"That is my line, hothead. I believe I lead the score."

"Impossible, I must have retired at least 150 of those flying jokes."

"Can you really count that high Fefnir?"

"Aw, shut up, or you will bite your tongue and poison yourself, Fairy."

Seconds later, the entire flock had been reduced to spare parts and none of the guardians had suffered any kind of damage.

"This is just boring, Harpuia. We could have left that battle for rookies."

Phantom landed next to him, his suriken somehow disappearing from sight. "That was merely the appetizer, my big friend. We can't hold that army alone. We will need reinforcements."

Leviathan looked through her visor again, speculating the next opponent. "Incoming. The next battle will be with some Sabertigers MK 4 and some Sickle hornets MK 3. I have fought the hornets before, beware of their razor wings."

"Bah, you better mind yourself, Leviathan. You are fighting away from water."

"I'm just fine. Remember to hit the tiger's energy core, or they will blow up after death."

The hornets were larger than the hawks and their construction allowed them to maneuver in midair much easier. Their frail-looking wings ended at sharp edges, made of energy-resistant metal and their mandibles could tore through solid steel. Their sting was actually a nail shooter.

Three hornets attacked Fefnir, rushing towards him while emitting a nerve-splitting buzzing sound. He caught the first inside his buster's vise, then pressed the trigger, aiming the second. The captured insect was shrouded in searing hot flames and smashed in the second, both of them falling to the ground and exploding. The third hornet swished past his shoulder, leaving a gash on his armor.

"Damn, what are those wings made of? I had the armor repaired yesterday."

"Do you need help from a sea warrior mister perfect fighter?" taunted Leviathan, as she skewed a hornet with her spear, its iced edge penetrating the armor like paper and using it as a club to rabidly smash away the rest.

"Show off", grumbled Fefnir.

"Oh, and incoming at nine o'clock, sir Fighting Fefnir."

The red guardian turned to see a sabertiger lunging on him from his side.

"You could have told me sooner", he mumbled while he leaped and, as the beast landed on were he was standing a second ago, he graced it with a mighty punch on the snout, causing it to collapse on the dusty ground.

"And spoil the fun? You should have seen it yourself."

"Whatever", said Fefnir, as he blasted the immobilized tiger's energy core, disabling the self-destruct mechanism. After that, he stopped to regard the kill. It resembled a tiger, featuring two long sharp teeth that protruded from its lower jaw and speed boosters on its leg. An object hit him from behind, bumping on his helm and rolling forward. The head of another tiger.

"Wake up Fefnir, we still have a fight here", shouted Phantom that had just decapitated one of his opponents.

"I'm thinking my allies are more dangerous than my foes. This is...". He interrupted his sentence and uttered a profane curse as he urgently lifted his buster to deflect a wave of speeding nails coming from five hornets that were currently beyond his reach. He leveled his giant weapon squarely on the bothersome insects and released a single, fully charged flame shot. The fireball reached the hornets almost lazily, then exploded, blinding temporarily anybody unlucky enough to be close.

"That was rash, Fefnir. It's a good thing I can fight while solely depending on sound."

"Is that you Phantom?"

"Of course it is." A sound of ripping metal was heard. "And I just scrapped two hornets trying to get to you while we were blinded by your own attack."

"Spare me the lecture, Phantom. We have still..."

The body of a sabertiger fell apparently from the sky, cackling with electricity.

"Hey, Harpuia, watch out where you throw your trash, you almost fried us."

"Behind you." Leviathan's voice reached their ears by the time the energy spike emitted from her spear had long passed. They turned to see another sabertiger, the spike neatly protruding from its head.

"Stay focused, you jerks", she shouted, as she searched for a new target.

Above them, Harpuia faced a new opponent. The mechaniloid that attacked him resembled a jellyfish, complete with multiple thrusters that allowed it to move gracefully, as if in water, and many tentacles protruding from the lower part of its body. Its size was immense, only its globe-like torso being easily three times taller than Sage. He attempted to hack its smooth surface with his sabers, but the material reacted like rubber, bending instead of allowing the blades to penetrate. One of the many tentacles wrapped around Harpuia's leg, releasing sheering cold, which made the jade guardian wince with pain. The mechaniloid attempted to pull the general inside it, where a frozen demise expected him, but he swiftly severed the appendage and went out of reach, as all remaining tentacles shoot towards his direction.

_Great, one down, another hundred to go. This is just my day._

Back on the ground, the rest of the guardians had troubles of their own. While the second wave of enemies was almost defeated, leaving behind a token force of hornets and tigers, the main body of the army was nearly upon them. Phantom and Leviathan were fighting a massive mechaniloid resembling a prehistoric triceratops, its three horns glowing with energy and two plasma cannons strapped on its back. It ran towards them at full speed, its feet aided with ion thrusters. They easily sidestepped the attack, but the cannons turned at opposite directions, each locking on on each guardian and firing an onslaught of plasma charges. Leviathan had a hard time dodging them, her capabilities impaired due to the lack of her element. She leaped to avoid two shots and somersaulted in the air, her hand spontaneously touching the ground and launching her again. One of the shots made contact, hitting her leg as she dived for cover behind a dune.

"Damn, that hurt", she muttered, as she checked the gash, making sure it was superficial.

Phantom fared quite better, creating mirror images that confused the beast's targeting systems, while he leaped high unseen and landed on its back, sword leading the way, but causing little damage on the armored surface. The mechaniloid went rampant, running around while jumping in rodeo style, trying to shake Phantom that was holding the firmly impaled saber. A white shining and still wiggling object fell from the sky, creating a small patch of ice, made of solidified air humidity. The triceratops pounded on it while it was standing erect on its two rear legs, stumbling and falling backwards. Phantom jumped at the last second, forsaking his saber, while the mechaniloid landed on its back, the metal sword being the point of impact and diving through the layers of armor up to the hilt, causing severe internal damage.

Fefnir tried to repel a swarm of tiny insect mechaniloids, no larger than flies, that were attaching themselves on his armor and exploding en masse. The pests seemed to be heat-resistant and distracted the red guardian, that barely dodged two dashing, mechanical wolves, their fangs charged with electricity. He brought his knuckle down, mightily pounding the ground and creating a tremor that sent the mechaniloids flying. He then dashed forward, away from the kamikaze swarm, snatched one wolf in his buster's metal jaws before it had an opportunity to be reacquainted with the earth and turned it into a fiery missile that crashed most of the bugs hot on his trail.

Phantom regarded his out-of-reach weapon and sighed, preparing his suriken. The prehistoric mechaniloid dashed forward as he anticipated, but stopped short, releasing an icy blast from his left horn to the black guardian, that was caught off guard. His feet became encased into a block of solid ice, effectively rendering him immobile. The triceratops's right horn charged for a second, lightning dancing on its surface and released a mighty electric discharge to the struggling ninja. A cerulean flash intercepted the attack, Leviathan dashing forward, her body absorbing the attack and leaving her almost unharmed.

"Getting cold feet there?" she asked, as Phantom finally managed to shatter his arctic prison.

"Quite the opposite, Fairy. I fear this battle will turn hot soon."

The mechaniloid charged its middle horn, unleashing a continuous shearing hot scarlet beam.

"Crap", muttered the cyan guardian, as she planted her spear on the ground and leaped high, while the beast compensated for his suddenly moving target by turning the beam upwards.

Harpuia saw the hot beam from below and, never one to lose an opportunity, met its path. Crossing his violet sabers and dismissing the severe hit as nothing more than an inconvenience, he deflected the beam right on his ice-based opponent. The crimson attack penetrated the jellyfish's rubbery surface, frying part of its core, and left the mechaniloid dazed. The emerald general saw the opening and summoned a wave of tiny, levitating drones. The electric transmitters rushed forward under his guidance, avoiding the chilly tentacles and entering inside the translucent body. Then Harpuia released a cackling electric discharge, his body acting as the first electrode, his minions as the second. The devastating charge overcame the target's electric resistance, short-circuiting its core and causing it to explode.

Back on the ground, the falling pieces of the jellyfish distracted the triceratops. Phantom threw his star, wounding the beast at the legs and damaging its large servomechanisms, slowing it down. As he launched a sequence of speeding kunai's, the small knifes aimed at the beast's optic sensors, Leviathan jumped on its back, grabbing the discarded metal saber and freezing it with her hands, thus bypassing the armor and affecting the opponent's interior. The beast lost its vital functions and sidestepped, leaning on the one side and eventually crashing on a sandy dune, then exploding, while the ice general jumped away just in time.

Phantom went to retrieve his saber, but as he touched it, his hand was burned from the sheering cold, layer that covered the weapon, smoke-like vapor rising from his touch. He turned to Leviathan sharply.

"Oh, don't make such a face, it will be as good as new in a few minutes. Maybe Fefnir can help."

Said fire guardian, that was previously cornered and overmatched by many electric-based wolves, had snatched four of the tentacles that belonged to the late icy jellyfish, wielding two in each hand. Easily ignoring their chilly touch, he used them as whips, quickly matching the mechaniloids, paralyzing them and smashing them with his bare fists.

More of the raiding mechaniloids reached the guardians, threatening to overwhelm them. A second, a bit smaller jellyfish rushed at Harpuia, who frantically dodged its whipping appendages, searching for another opening, but finding none. Before he could conjure any kind of attack pattern, a shearing-hot large object passed next to him and crashed on the mechaniloid, setting it ablaze. As its systems faltered, Harpuia turned to regard a saluting Phoenix Magnion.

"We are here general", said the blazing reploid. "I trust we came on time."

Harpuia nodded and turned to the second flying reploid that reached them.

"Great job, Aztec Falcon. Now we can take them."

Below them, the massive army descended on the unorganized mechaniloid mob, tearing it apart quite easily. The four guardians met on the ground and worked together to organize their troopers, Harpuia making strategic decisions, Phantom imparting attack methods, Leviathan using her visor to reveal the enemy's weaknesses and Fefnir cheering the soldiers up.

After a while, a great commotion demanded their attention. They saw two triceratopses ready to charge at their direction, but the beasts didn't survive to attack. A massive, clawed foot stepped on them, covering them completely and crushing them like bugs. The owner of the foot was now the tallest presence around, a colossal mechaniloid resembling a tyrannosaurus Rex. Its hide was covered by multiple layers of armor and many massive energy cannons protruded from various parts of its body. The giant opened its abysmal mouth, filled with adamantine teeth and released a huge fiery breath, incinerating a great mass of both allied troopers and enemy mechaniloids.

The four guardians assaulted the monstrosity, Harpuia crossing his twin blades to release a shocking thunder strike, Leviathan spinning her spear to fling numerous ice orbs, Fefnir firing flame shots at gattling rate and Phantom sending spinning weapons aimed at the target's optic sensors. The behemoth was only slightly affected by the four-way assault, the minor damage serving to further enrage it. It pounded its foot down, causing Fefnir and Leviathan to stumble from the ensuing tremor, then directed its fiery breath towards Harpuia and Phantom that were flying around it, its plasma cannons shooting all the while.

As the guardians assembled together to determine a proper tactic, a golden flash appeared at the horizon, approaching at supersonic speed. The flash reached the tyrannosaurus and, hardly stopping, it bashed it under its armpit, severing a gigantic hand. The mechaniloid howled in pain and rage and turned to regard the offender. X was standing in midair, his body encircled by a golden aura. Every soldier hailed their leader, as hope returned. X charged his buster at the highest level, then unleashed a thin, concentrated beam, that cleanly penetrated the enemy's breastplate armor and exited from its back. As the behemoth rocked and almost stumbled, some internal system severely damaged, X reached its head and bashed his way right into its eye. The optic sensor exploded and the azure hunter fired a hail of powered shots, further enlarging the wide hole, exposing a massive control circuit shield. The titan was unable to retaliate or defend itself, as X flied away, then rushed towards his opponent, his hands extended forward. A massive plasma blade, easily four times his height, erupted from his hands, penetrating the armored core and sending the mechaniloid into oblivion. As the megatone body crashed backwards, creating a massive earthquake, X descended to his generals.

Harpuia spoke first. "We are very sorry we did such a poor job in your absence, master."

X smiled faintly as he regarded the now stilled battleground. "I don't consider that a poor job, Harpuia. You did great as it is evident. And you know you don't have to be so formal while we five are alone."

"We could do nothing against this last opponent, sir. We are grateful for the save."

"It was beyond your limits, Phantom. I should be sorry for not being here in time. Is that all of them?"

"Yes we believe we retired all of them. I think...". Leviathan stopped talking abruptly, intent of what her visor showed her. "Oh, no. The city. RUN."

At the same time, a comm. came online. "_This is Panter Flauclaws. We are being attacked by giant mechaniloid worms. They dug an underground tunnel. We can defeat them easily, but we are at a populated area_."

The five reploids turned towards the city just in time to see a massive skyscraper collapsing.

Fefnir uttered one word that reflected everyone's sentiments as they rushed forward at top speed and teleported almost immediately.

"Shit."

* * *

The dust had yet to settle, even long after the battle, compromising the visibility to low levels. That was, by a certain point of view, merciful, because the scene was total carnage. Only a single building had collapsed, but many humans and reploids had perished and many more were reported absent. Multiple teams of reploids and humans, both professionals and volunteers, as well as a large part of the army were carefully moving the remains of the building in the hopes of rescuing any survivors. Many inanimate bodies could be seen among the wreckage, but sadly nobody had time to offer them a burial yet. The potentially alive were the utmost priority.

X felt like a lost soul, as he wandered through the ruins, occasionally stopping to hear at what could be a cry for assistance from under his feet, then moving large slabs of heavy material frantically, as if his life depended on it. He had already saved many imprisoned residents, perhaps more than anyone else, but that did little to compensate for his mood.

_This is all my fault. I should have been here for the people. They trusted me and I failed to protect them_. _Their blood is on my hands._

His morbid thoughts stopped short, as he heard somebody breathing from below him. He rushed and softly lifted a piece of metal that must have weighted tens of tones, revealing part of a room that had survived partly intact.

The scene stroke him dumb. A little blonde girl, no older than six was sitting next to the bodies of a man and a woman. All of them were dressed with clothes that were once extravagant, now merely pieces of rugs. The little girl's face was sad in a peculiar way, though tears had failed to fill her eyes. X's heart sunk to the lowest pits of the abyss, as his scans indicated the two adults were long dead. The girl covered the two bodies with a torn blanket, then turned to regard the cyan reploid. X, despite his feelings approached the girl.

"Are these your parents girl?", he asked, his voice quite shaky.

The girl regarded the bodies again, then answered. "Yes, mister, they are."

"A...are they sleeping?"

The little girl lowered her head. "No they are dead, they have stopped breathing and their hearts stopped too long ago for anyone to help. But they died instantly without pain." Her voice was only slightly shaky, hiding great sadness and unusual maturity.

X came closer as if in a trance, then fell to his knees and hugged the girl, tears flowing freely from his eyes.

The girl surprised him again. "Don't cry, master X. You did the best you could."

X regarded the girl incredulously, tears still trailing his cheeks, while hers were still dry.

The girl must have read his thoughts. "Yes, I too want to cry, but..." she faltered a bit. "but my parents were good people. They were members of the council, and helped to preserve the peace. They are in heaven now, watching us. When I cried, it made them sad. And...I want them to be happy."

X wiped his tears and regarded the girl in awe. In such a case where adult people would collapse, she displayed an indomitable inner strength, her words being product of rational and sane thought instead of soul-crashing shock, as he believed at first.

"Do you want to come with me girl?"

"Thank you, master X. I'm honored. I study to become a reploid scientist and you can teach me much."

"What is you name girl?"

"Ciel."

* * *

_X was standing in utter darkness, as if awaiting something. Then a blinding light engulfed him and he found himself in a great corridor. The eerie silence before the storm seemed to creep from every single hole of the place, suffocating him, as though with invisible hands. His body walked forward, without him controlling it, he being only able to feel. He reached the door at the end and hesitated only for a second. The door opened but the room was empty. Suddenly, he felt a presence and a shadow danced before his eyes, reveling his nemesis. The tall and bulky reploid had a bald head and a hideous face, plastered with a wicked smile. Its massive armor shone darkly and his eyes glared an unnerving blue. Before X could form a single thought, a second figure wrapped in the room. The second reploid was smaller than the giant beside him, but his eyes were even more disturbing. He wore a black armor and the hilt of a saber protruded from his back._

"_Look who I found wandering around, megaman X", said the taller figure." My friend here has a small problem with you. It seems that you let him die and he is not too happy about that. Now I think it is time that he repays the favor!"_

_Before anybody could move, the sealed door behind X exploded and a three-hit strike, two mighty blasts and a crescent wave came through, hitting the black reploid and destroying it on the spot. A third figure, identical to the black reploid but clad in scarlet armor, dashed in like a hazy blur, stopping in front of X to regard the giant form, that was apparently unnerved._

_The red figure talked. "Sigma, you should have studied the blueprints closer! There is only one Zero!"_

_The giant was almost terrified. "Wait Zero! I know your secret! You were destined to follow me!" _

"_Maybe so, but I still don't like you!"_

"_Fine. If you will not follow me, then I'll watch you die once again!"_

_As the red figure lashed forward, the giant reploid disappeared again before the attack could connect. _

_X felt his heart soar at the sight of his friend. "Zero!"_

"_Sorry to keep you waiting, Megaman X". Then something went very wrong. A purple aura engulfed the crimson reploid and he smiled wickedly. Before X could register what was happening, a blazing green saber came out of its hilt and slashed at him, cleaving him cleanly in half._

_X moved his head to regard his executioner, his eyes filled with grief and astonishment. "Why, Zero?"_

_The aura around the crimson death subsided, leaving an emotionless face behind. _

"_Because, I sacrificed myself for you and you didn't even tried to help me, leaving my remains scattered among the remains of Vile. And then you did it again. Because you saw that imposter and thought it was me. Because you, the most 'compassionate' of all, fought the repliforce without remorse. Because you proposed to fly the shuttle instead of me, though you were too scared to actually do it, knowing I would refuse anyway. Because you wanted to throw Axl out, though he nearly begged us. Because of all those times you lost your resolve and other had to do your work and because you just let me to leave, X. You made the guardians so that you could forget about me."_

_Zero walked close and retrieved something from X's hand. "You even forgot to return me my buster X, though I never asked it back."_

_Zero hit the floor hard with his fist, reducing it to dust. "Now I will do what you should be doing."_

_X felt himself falling and the air around him was filled with the sound of battle. He hit the ground hard, then struggled to turn to the side. Sigma's head was lying next to him, severed, but still alive._

"_So it came to that, X. This is funny. Ha...we will die next to each other, forgotten by all. Know any good jokes while we still have time?"_

_X felt like vomiting, his head spinning like crazy. Sigma started to laugh louder and louder, until his mouth became larger than the universe. A shadow appeared from the abyss. Axl. His eyes shone red and the dark elf appeared and merged with him. A large black tentacle shot from Axl's forehead, wrapping around X and crushing him, then letting him fall. He felt the chilly air rushing around him and after an eternity of eternities, he reached an infinite sea and splashed in. He somehow floated to the surface, then opened his eyes to realize the water was crimson, thick and hot. Things floated along with him and as his vision cleared, he saw what they were._

_Dead bodies._

_Every maverick he had ever retired passed before his eyes, most of them in pieces, all of them smiling or winking at him. Then he saw many old friends. Signas and Douglas and Alia and Layer and everybody other that was now missing from his life appeared in the sea, a single word etched in their eyes. "Why" why couldn't he save them? Or find them if they were still alive. And then came the bodies of everybody he could not protect, everybody that died because of him. Waves appeared in the once still, morbid sea. A colossal spoon came down, black as if forged out of darkness. The sea was in a bowl, Lumine holding the spoon and moving it inside the bowl. He used the ebony spoon to lift X and everything around him and regarded him, smiling eerily._

"_You can't stop it X. You can fight it but you can't stop it. You are only delaying the inevitable."_

_Lumine smiled again, his form changing between the original and Sigma continuously, then lifted the spoon to his lips and devoured the contents._

X shot upwards, waking up instantly, his eyes wide open and glazed. The door opened and a little girl came in "Are you alright, uncle X? I heard you screaming."

X turned and tried to forget the nightmare, smiling meekly at the girl. "It was only a bad dream, Ciel."

"Well don't worry now. You are awake and everything will be fine."

"What are you doing up so late in the evening anyway? You are a human. You need sleep more than I do."

"Well, your library is really interesting uncle X. I just finished another series of files."

"Honestly, Ciel. It's been one year since you came here and you spend almost all your time in the library."

"I don't want to burden you or any of the guardians, uncle. And since I will be going to school in some weeks, I want to be prepared."

"Oh, and what were you reading?"

"I just finished reading all the work of a certain important scientist and it wasn't so difficult to understand. Dr. Light was really a genius, though."

X could not believe his ears. "You...you understood all of them."

Ciel just smiled and nodded. Her attention skipped to an object securely placed on a marble pillar inside the room. She quickly picked it up and regarded it from every side.

"Wow, this is the best beam saber I have ever seen, uncle. Even Sage's blades are nothing against it."

X smiled as he took the deactivated saber from the girl's hands. "It belongs to a friend of mine and a great hero, greater than what I will ever be."

"Is he dead, uncle?"

"No, Ciel. He has died before, but he always comes back. Even death is afraid to cross him. One day, when there is great need, he will return."

"Will you tell me his story, uncle X?"

"I can start telling you, but I won't finish in one night. It could take weeks to tell you everything and you must eventually sleep. Well, there was once the scientist you read about, Dr. Light."

"Before you go on, what was the reploid's name."

"His name is Zero, Ciel. Never forget that name."

* * *

Well, that is the end of this chapter, I hope the nightmare did manage to scare you a bit. About Phantom, I have a certain plan. Bare with me, I know he is completely OOC but everything will become clear in a chapter or two. About Ciel, I have heard that she was supposed to be 14 when she found Zero. Which means, she finished building Copy X at 6...Yeah, right and when she becomes twenty, she will have conquered the universe and will know how to cook. Seriously, I don't know if it is a fanboy theory or if Capcom's production team was high on something lethal, but I will ignore it and give her something like a ten years boost.

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** I hope that was chaos enough for you. The name "Archaon" and Chaos are closely related anyway. It is really one great hole, with some plot islands scattered around... And since I won't back up from a random argument so easily...What will you do if your GBA goes maverick? Imagine it turning into Sigma and laughing.

**To Shadow Enigma: **Well, I'm flattered. The idea about the eggs came to me while I was riding on the Underground, in a sleep-deprived condition. And I love cheese:-)

To mad-man: Welcome on board. I will see your stories when I can. 

**To Myhi:** Well, my updates will be chaotic, which means I never promise anything, but reviews help greatly, as do the stories of others. I must have borrowed a truckload of ideas without noticing. Just wait on Phantom, you'll be surprised. The comic you refer to is legendary and there are more at the same place. About the trivia, I can speak Greek, so I should know...It might be a coincidence but...

**To zidetprincess1: **Hi, there! Depression? What makes you say that? Even his nightmares are mild;-). Stick around and give my regards to uncle Biscuit. He is not too biscuit in my story, but, oh well...

**To Demented-Demon:** I revised that scene twice. I wanted it to leave a lasting impression. I have considered writing a spin-off about Axl and another one about the Light family, but I don't know if anyone will want to read it and certainly I can't do it now... I have forgotten about Raid and I have never heard the other, but I am one lucky...biscuit if I can find names that are serious, yet hide something as hilarious as that. The Japanese version comes at April 21, in a few days. The US and EU versions... I have no idea... The trailer was hyper though...


	7. Egress and error

I'm so glad to see you back, I mean...Anyway, I'm happy you were not scared by last chapter's nightmare. Next time I might use something from the silent hill series;-). Today's guest star is perhaps the most hated and misunderstood character in MMZ universe. I won't tell his name yet, but it is pretty easy to figure it out...En garde...

* * *

Chapter 7: Egress and error

The scene was just classic. The little girl, wearing her pink dress and her blond hair in a ponytail, was leaning on a table where a large cake rested, twelve candles burning on it. The other participants waited in mock suspense for the impending artificial gust of air to leave her lips and quench the twelve flames. Well, it would be a usual scene, except that the other five persons in the room were the highest ranking officials on the planet, X and the four guardians.

Ciel puffed suddenly and all candles went out, while she raised her head to regard her second family, her face shinning.

"Well done, Ciel. You made it with one attempt", said X, smiling sincerely.

Leviathan spoke next, sounding elated. "And now, it's time for the presents."

While Ciel behaved much more like a grown up than her corresponding age would hint, she could barely contain her excitement. Though she could have anything she would ever ask anytime- everybody did their best to spoil her- she could appreciate the simple, personal presents of her friends.

Fefnir stepped forward. It was unusual to see the red guardian without his armor, but he defiantly dismissed the notion to wear the official robes as Harpuia and X always did when not donned in armor, wearing casual clothes instead.

"Well, it's not so special, but...heck, just open it, girl!"

Ciel smiled and opened the clumsily wrapped present. Inside she found an IHTC-CD labeled 'music of the past'.

"Well, it contains every song from the last three centuries, but I have tagged some of them and... anyway, I hope you like it and... I will shut up now."

Ciel winked to the others and gave a hug to a very uncomfortable Fefnir. "Thank you Fef. I really like it."

Everybody else tried to contain their laughter. Fefnir might be a fierce warrior but in certain circumstances he could be such a pushover.

Harpuia came next, mirth still evident on his face. "My gift is quite duller than Fefnir's, but I have a notion you will like it."

Ciel opened the neat, small parcel to reveal another computer disk and gasped. "The Big book of computer science, extended edition. Were have you found that Sage?"

Harpuia smiled. "Well, I was right you would like it. Don't ask for the source, professional secret."

"And now for a really useful present", declared Leviathan, smiling deviously.

Ciel opened Fairy's present, to find a really skimpy, really translucent, really extravagant blue dress. As everybody looked at it incredulously, an uneasy silence followed.

Leviathan could barely withhold her laughter. "You should go out more often, Ciel. You will never score a boyfriend if you stay cooped up in this palace."

"I will think about it Fairy. Thanks for the present...I guess."

Harpuia elbowed a very stunned red guardian. "Hey, earth to Fefnir. Stop drooling", he whispered.

Phantom just gave his present and smiled while bowing. "This is yet my worst present, but bare with me."

Inside Ciel found a stuffed, white animal, resembling a cat. "Oh, Phantom, it so cute. Thank you."

Everybody turned to X, who had kept quite silent during the event, but was still smiling. Seeing as he was holding nothing, they scanned the room for any clue.

"This year you won't get a present from me, Ciel." Everybody froze, trying to see if their leader was just joking around.

"Instead, I want you to meet somebody". As on cue, a small light appeared from behind him, flew next to Ciel, circled her a couple of times and stayed still to regard her.

"Hi, I'm a cyber-elf and you will be my master and friend. My name is Passy."

Ciel was almost shinning with an inner light, resembling the elf. "I'd like very much to be your friend, Passy. I'm Ciel." Then she turned to X. "Thank you, uncle. I will take care of her."

X nodded and the company went to eat their share of the cake. While everybody else was occupied, Phantom and Harpuia sat down close to each other, savoring the perfectly sweet taste in their mouth.

"It seems we own our little princess too much", said Harpuia.

"Apart from essentially reconstructing Neo-Arcadia's security system and revising the operating system?"

"I'm talking about the five of us."

"Indeed. Since she entered our lives, master X seems more lively than ever. A bit too lively I fear."

"Is that a problem?", inquired the jade guardian, eyeing his companion curiously.

"Call me paranoid, but it just doesn't seem right. You know I'm usually the first to throw a party over something insignificant, but master X seems to try to live as intense as possible those last weeks, as if it is his last chance."

"Do you think it has to do with him traveling to that forest more and more often?"

"Possibly. I fear strange times approach us." But then Phantom smiled again. "So we should just follow his example and entertain ourselves."

Harpuia sighed. "I don't see why master X has appointed me the first guardian", he said, as he watched Ciel dancing with Passy on her hair. "You are stronger and wiser than all of us combined."

"But I am too much of a free spirit to be a leader, Sage. Leadership leaks from every crevice of your armor, you know."

"Shove that, Phantom. I can't still understand after whom master X gave you such a personality. Cocky and nonchalant and loud, but stealthy, wise, calm and a master with a blade when needed. You can probably take all three of us alone if needed."

"Let me think. Leviathan and Fefnir together would make a youthful, loud, daring and intelligent individual, you resemble master X more than you will ever admit. Who could I resemble. Maybe ask him?"

The two guardians stared at each other and then answered in unison. "Nah..."

* * *

The amphitheater was full of people and many more were standing, not being able to find a place to sit. Every military and political official of Neo-Arcadia was present. After all, an official announcement from their leader was not something common. At the first row, four familiar reploids, a human girl and a cyber-elf were waiting for X's speech, as clueless as everybody else in the room. The unwilling leader appeared on the stage, causing everybody to leave their seats to acknowledge his presence. He nodded and prompted them to resume their place. Then, bypassing all protocol and formalities, he bowed to the audience and started.

"First of all, I want to thank everybody for your support all those years. From a rundown city we have developed a thriving metropolis, were everybody can live in peace. But we will have to face a more subtle threat than a war, though equally dangerous. As you know, our main power input comes from geothermal energy and the occasional energy crystal mine. As some of you know, the thermal wells' heat has started to wane. Until today, we could produce enough energy to support all known establishments around our city and export it to other parts of the union, but if this continues, we will barely be able to support ourselves."

Not so many gasped, mainly because quite a few knew about the energy shortage danger. Everybody could see that there was something else X wanted to say. After a long pause, X evaluating all known faces, he continued.

"There is another subject that we must speak of. For important reasons known only to me and a select few, I am forced to leave Neo-Arcadia for a long time period. While I am away, I leave the four guardians in my stead, First guardian Sage Harpuia receiving all my authority. I believe my presence will not be required and I trust all of you to do your best during the impending crisis. That would be all."

Somebody could have dropped a needle and the sound would resemble one of a thunder. The utter silence was maintained for far longer that would be natural, brain cells and control circuits both unable to process the gravity of the announcement. Then, everybody started talking at the same time creating a pandemonium that could not even remotely be labeled sane. Under the cover of the seething mass, five figures exited the room running, trying to follow X. They literally burst into his private quarters that he never bothered to lock anyway. X was kneeling in front of a large window, apparently praying, oblivious to the five individuals. When X finally stood, Ciel was the first to shatter the silence.

"What is the meaning of that, uncle...No, X! How came none of us knew nothing."

X turned to regard the four stunned guardians and the outraged girl. His face was dominated by a calm sadness and his eyes went to the floor. His voice was hollow.

"I'm really sorry about that, Ciel and everybody, but it was the only way to do that. I'm a great coward that had to make a public announcement to tell his...his family he has to leave. But it can't be helped. I'm leaving tonight, before I change my mind."

As the four guardians stayed silent, not able to find proper words, Ciel hugged the cyan reploid, tears streaking down her cheeks. "I'm too old to call you uncle, X but you have been a second father to me. What can I, what can this nation do without you."

X returned the gesture. " Don't cry, Ciel. You weren't crying the day we met, why would you cry now?"

"Because you are alive, X. And yet you must leave. Could you at least tell us were you must go?"

"I'm sorry, Ciel. You would try to stop me if you knew. I just want to thank you for everything you have done for me. You reminded me what happiness is."

X turned to the guardians. "I'm counting on you all to fill my place while I'm gone. Harpuia, be a wise and compassionate leader. Fefnir, Leviathan, please help him. And Phantom, take care of everybody. Ciel, try to forget me, because I don't know when I will return. And Passy, please take care of Ciel."

One by one, everybody left the room, but before Phantom could leave, X stopped him. "There is something that only you must know, Phantom. Follow me, please."

The black guardian complied without responding as he and X reached the trans-server center. X entered an impossibly long set of coordinates and both reploids were transferred away. Phantom opened his eyes and found himself in a large chamber, featuring a large device, resembling the trunk of a tree. In its center there was a throne, its back a huge metal sphere. The whole machine was glowing with an eerie dark light and the ground vibrated. X sat on the throne and immediately, a multitude of wires and machine components attached on his now plainly armored body.

X turned to a very stunned Phantom. "This machine now contains the main body of the mother elf, know better as the dark elf."

Phantom gasped visibly and barely managed to utter a sentence. "The...the cyber-elf that..."

X nodded. "The cyber-elf I found, completed and used to fight the mavericks. The dark elf that Wail abused to take over the world. The purifying process is slow and will take many years, but the only way to confine her ever-growing power is this machine. And the last component is my body, Phantom."

The black guardian could find no words, so X continued. "This is the only way, though I fret to have to leave all of you like that. I don't know how much time it will take. I don't even know if I will survive. You want to know why I'm telling all that only to you? Ciel is still too young to face that, Laviathan and Fefnir, too. And Harpuia is, like me, a worrier. He will have enough to worry about while I'm absent. I trust you Phantom, the one who reminds me the most precious of my friends in a way. Once you leave this place, it will be sealed and only the stronger and most cunning will be able to access it. Nobody must free the dark elf, Phantom. The rest of it resides at the forest of Notus. Tell Harpuia to guard it. Even if things are desperate, you must not awaken me, for that would free the dark elf. Go now, Phantom, and take care of everyone else."

With those words, the legendary hunter closed his eyes and stayed very still. At the same time, a green stream of energy appeared to pierce the sphere and everything went silent. Phantom stared at his master and mentor for many minutes, noticing the hilt of an unusual silver energy weapon that lied right next to him, then wrapped away, the seals closing around him as he passed.

* * *

Harpuia closed his eyes and sighed. The reports before him were not a source of mirth. He turned to his fellow guardians and Ciel.

"First of all, to do away with the formalities, Ciel is typically a part of the Council due to heritage and ability and will also be the link between the Council and the guardians."

Phantom and Ciel just nodded, while Fefnir and Leviathan managed to smile, under the frown of the first guardian.

Harpuia continued, his mood foul. "Secondly, I am sad to admit we are screwed."

Everybody remained silent. Sage was not one to swear without a very good reason.

"A year after master X's disappearance and we managed to make a mess out of it. The population is restless, apparently due to the master's absence, the energy crisis is getting steadily worse, the mechaniloid attacks are less vicious but more often, there are racist currents against both humans and reploids for the first time since the start of the elf wars and even the union has troubles. "

Harpuia stopped for a much needed breath and then continued.

"We have run out of conventional means and I am ready to hear any idea to get us out of the mess."

Ciel was the first to speak. "I believe that the thermal wells cannot support us anymore. The logical route is to try and develop a new energy source. Of course, that could take a long time. Until this is feasible, we must depend more on energy crystals."

"Our scouts have found some new mines, but it ain't gonna help us for long", reported Fefnir.

"What about the ancient power sources. Do we have any knowledge we can use?", asked Leviathan.

Ciel sighed. "It can't be helped. Carbon based energy is unfeasible. The underground deposits are mostly depleted and using flora is out of the question. Nuclear and Hydrogen fusion generators are lost to us, as well as the solar cells technology. It would take us much more to reinvent those than find something new. All such knowledge was lost before and during the maverick wars."

"The only solution is to reduce power consumption." Everybody turned to regard Phantom. "It is the only way since the thermal wells are failing us. It will buy us time to develop the new energy source."

Harpuia's gaze fell to the table. "So it has come to this. We will restrict the number of births per family and almost halt the construction of new reploids. That will keep the population steady. And... there will be power cuts eight hours per day."

Silence dominated the chamber, even Ciel's hyperactive cyber-elf settling down.

Seeing that nobody would disagree, Harpuia dismissed the meeting. As he went to leave, a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"You did what was necessary, Sage. Don't fret too much."

"Thank you, Phantom. You are always there to help me when I'm lost."

"Hey, stop mopping there. We should catch up with the others. The dinner is ready and Ciel will join us. It has been a while since she moved to her apartment and we haven't be seeing her a lot."

Said Ciel was walking along with Fefnir and Leviathan through the great corridors, making small talk.

"So, found any boyfriends yet?", said Leviathan and winked.

Passy piped in. "Ciel surely leads a dull life."

Ciel blushed. "Well, I don't go out too much, so..."

"Aw, you should live your life, girl. You only have that much anyways", said Fefnir.

At that exact moment, a sidedoor opened and a reploid rushed out. And fell on Ciel, causing both of them to collapse on the floor. The reploid in question had long blond hair and was stunned, staring at Ciel and blushing. She blushed as well, their position quite awkward and nobody daring to move. The spell was broken when Fefnir lifted the reploid with one hand and regarded him sinisterly.

"W...well, I...I'm s...sorry f...for...", he tried to stutter.

"Yay, the weird boy looks like a tomato", said Passy.

"You know, I ought' bash your head in for what you did."

Ciel regained her composure. "Oh, put him down, Fefnir. It was clearly an accident."

"Whatever...", said the red guardian as he released the reploid like common trash.

"T...thank you v...very much miss..."

Ciel smiled, making him blush even more. "I'm Ciel. And you are?"

"M...my name is Elpizo. I work here."

"Not for long if you continue bashing on honored guests, you dumpass", smiled Leviathan sinisterly.

Elpizo managed to disappear quite fast but not before looking at the smiling Ciel one more time.

Leviathan winked to the young scientist. "It seems you have a fan, already. Way to go girl."

"Bah, he was nothing and will remain nothing. Let's go everyone, I'm practically starving over here."

Leviathan smiled impishly. "And we wondered about the energy shortage. Here's the culprit."

"Hey, I ain't eat so much."

"Yesterday you emptied the fridge. Again."

"You're lying. I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

A voice came from the corridor, Harpuia being really pissed off. "Will you two just shut up and come the hell here. Table's ready."

"Let the children play, Sage", said Phantom.

Ciel smiled. Even at those hard times, she still had a family to support her. People she trusted.

* * *

"I still have doubts about what we do, Dr. Mizuhara."

The three persons were alone inside a large laboratory room filled with complex, almost alien equipment. At the center of the room rested an almost finished but deactivated reploid, his armor blue.

"It doesn't feel right to try and fool everyone, even the guardians with a copy of X. And what if something goes wrong?"

"Don't give up, Ciel. You are doing this for good, right?" said Passy.

The second figure in the room, a young scientist wearing a white robe Ciel has never before seen, placed his hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at his brown eyes and hair and his face that could be considered androgynous. "She is right, Dr. Ciel and you know it. This country is falling apart as we speak. What do you think, Dr. Hokaze.

The third person in the room was wearing a plain, white lab coat, his long cyan hair creating a stark contrast. "It is sad we must prepare for war to maintain peace, put it's not the first time any of us does something like that. Keep in mind that there will be differences, though. We could never built a perfect copy in six months. That would take decades."

The second scientist leaned heavily on the great ornate staff he was always holding, adorned with two great blue orbs. "That is why we have used two DNA cores. The real one is what we managed to reproduce, while the fake one is a perfect copy of master X's and the only one visible."

Ciel managed to smile. "I would have never done that without your help and support. Now that we have almost finished, I have to thank you. You knowledge seemed almost alien. But I can't understand why you must leave so soon."

The two scientists looked at each smirking. "We are needed elsewhere, Dr. Ciel. And anyway, Dr. Mizuhara must have missed his wife, I believe."

The other scientist nodded. "Indeed and it is time we say goodbye, I fear. I don't believe we will be seeing each other again."

The two scientists exited the room talking, while Ciel sighed.

As they walked away, Dr. Mizuhara turned to his coworker. "Would you like to give you a ride, Mr. Minato."

"Well, I would appreciate it, Mr. Makoto. Isn't your wife jealous with you missing so long?"

Mizuhara chuckled. "Oh, Iffy is not the possessive type and, for her, only a day has passed."

"Iffy?"

"She hates it, but I call her like that when she calls me Mak-chan. Say, do you still have problems with the Saints?"

"Not really. Vespar's real problem right now are the Gatekeepers. We try to achieve peace, but..."

"It is sad, there is war everywhere. Oh, well. This is a good place."

The two scientists reached the end of a corridor and, after making sure nobody was present, Dr. Mizuhara used his staff to open a portal.

After both of them stepped in, the portal closed, leaving nothing behind.

* * *

Elpizo swore again and again about his luck. He had been late to wake up again and received a mighty yelling from his superiors. In addition, Fefnir and Leviathan seemed to want to harass him whenever they saw him, their moods steadily descending due to the crisis. His only consolation was that he was currently assisting Ciel.

_She is so kind and sweet, Ms Ciel. She is..._

A flying helmet that collided with his blonde-maned head brought him back to reality. He turned to see a common soldier that still held a higher rank than his sorry self.

"Will you quit daydreaming, errant boy, and do some work? Honestly, I can't believe Lady Ciel chose you of all people to help her. She is very popular, you know. Now, move it."

Elpizo ran forward at top speed, not wanting to make Ciel wait any longer or receive another beating.

"One day I will show you, you stupid scum. I doubt you would defeat me in combat if I didn't let that pass", he muttered.

Reaching one of the most secluded storage rooms, he inputted a long access code and barged in. Inside the dust-ridden chamber, highly unusual for Neo-Arcadia, he saw a wide variety of machine components, weird contraptions and plain junk. He searched and found a large plastic box labeled "AAT23: Safe reploid components. Double checked."

As he lifted it with quite an effort, a light caught his eye. He turned to see a transparent globe on top of an active machine, containing an eerie dark light. As if his body moved at its on accord, he stepped closer to examine the oddity. Inside the small sealing device, he saw a cyber-elf, engulfed in a black and purple aura. Mesmerized, he took another step and stumbled, his cargo flying and crashing hard on a stack of similar containers. The spell broke and he cursed loudly, as the box had opened, its contents mingled with the ones of other boxes. Hardly thinking, he rushed and placed random parts inside the box, grabbed it again and dashed out of the storeroom.

At long last, he reached Ciel's laboratory. He had strict orders never to enter the door where the young scientist worked, so he placed the box on the floor and swiped the sweat from his brow relieved, but fretted over his hair's condition.

_As soon as I get a break, I'm gonna wash my lovely hair. Trice a day might be a bit too much, but I can't serve Ms. Ciel when I'm such a mess._

Said blonde girl interrupted his thoughts as she rushed in the room.

"I apologize for being late, Ms. Ciel. I had a small accident on the way here."

Ciel looked concerned. "Are you alright, Elpizo? I'm sorry I made you carry such a large crate."

"It is my duty, Ms. Ciel."

"Would you like me to check your systems. You might be wounded."

Elpizo's face turned the same color as his clothes. _Damn, why do reploids have to blush like that? What was my creator thinking? _ "N...no need, Ms. Ciel. I'm fine, really."

"The boy reploid with the weird name is blushing again. Isn't it time for your third shower break yet?"

_One day I'm gonna struggle this stupid elf. It always tries to embarrass me..._

"I want you to take a break, anyway. You deserve it", said Ciel.

"Y...yes, thank you very much. I will be back right away", he said, as he scurried away.

Ciel smiled. _Perhaps he does feel something for me, as Fairy said. I don't know if I feel the same, but we will see._

She opened the box and gasped as she grasped one of the circuit components from the top.

"This one is made by Dr. Cain himself. And it seems to be of unrivaled quality too. Thank heavens it is already checked and functional."

Ciel, elated with her discovery, failed to notice a single letter scribed on the component. The Greek letter "S".

* * *

Every resident not present in front of the Neo-Arcadia palace, ready to listen to their restored leader, was glued in front of a screen instead. The general happiness quickly turned into wild applause, as master X, wearing an extravagant ceremonial robe, walked on the highly raised platform. As soon as everybody calmed down, the leader started his speech.

"Rejoice, people of Neo-Arcadia, for I have returned. Everybody did their best during my absence, but the times are difficult. Now that I am back, I will solve the energy crisis using whatever means possible. I promise that the problem will be solved swiftly and decisively. I have already conjured a proper plan of action. I hope that will be enough to retain the unity we must have to survive in this harsh world."

The speech continued in similar fashion for quite a long time, which was highly unusual for X, whose sparse formal public appearances were kept short. Most people were too focus on their leader's, almost god's, return to comment, but not everybody was mesmerized.

"This feels wrong."

Harpuia turned an incredulous stare at Phantom, who was seated next to him. "What is the matter?"

"I highly doubt that reploid is truly master X. He sure resembles him but he is not him."

"Why do you say that? He saved the day as soon as he returned, helping us fight yet another mechaniloid invasion. He came out of the blue and practically stopped them alone. Nobody else could have fought like that. And even if that wasn't enough proof, his DNA signature is correct."

"Listen to him, Sage. Fefnir and Fairy might not notice or might not want to notice, but you are different. Listen to his words, his style, his behavior. He was so businesslike when we met him in private. The real X would have given a hug to everybody, while marginally holding his tear, and then he would apologize to the whole population for being away all that time. What did he do? He entered his quarters, asked for the reports of the last years and then made a proud, boastful speech."

Harpuia seemed to zone out for a while, then went to say something, but stopped cold as soon as his eyes fell on Ciel who was seated close to them. The young girl seemed anxious and stunned from what she was hearing, as if not believing her ears and her cyber-elf had stopped flying around, her light weaker than usual.

"And this is another proof I'm not paranoid", said Phantom. "As much as I don't like to accept it, Ciel knows master X better than anyone alive. Just look at her."

Harpuia's head fell in resignation. "There is truth in your words, Phantom. Perhaps this is not master X or perhaps his journey changed him. But look at the people. We tried our best during those years and yet we barely managed to hold everything together. He just shows himself and half of our problems get resolved on the spot."

Phantom shook his head. "I know what you say is right, but I just can't accept it. His words make me trust him even less. But we will wait to judge his actions."

* * *

Phantom was hard at work in the training room, shooting kunais at the rabidly flying disks while riding his suriken, never missing their center. Though he seemed to be focused, his thoughts raced.

_I'm sure this is not master X. The chamber where the master rests is still sealed. Should I tell Sage what I know about the dark elf. Even then, could we possibly defeat the imposter. Mast importantly, is it wise to do so. The people have calmed down and he has already doubled our energy crystal mines. This is a temporary solution, of course, but it will buy us time._

Phantom sighed, still torn between loyalty and duty. As he exited the training room, he saw a young reploid waiting outside. Before he could form a question, the reploid fell to his knees.

"Please, master Phantom. Allow me to join your unit as a soldier. Give me a chance."

As soon as he recovered from the surprise, Phantom motioned the reploid to stand up.

"You are Elpizo, the errant boy who was assisting Ciel. We need new recruits in the Zan'ei army, but we can't take anyone. You think you are good enough?"

"Yes sir. I'm a swordsman sir." Elpizo revealed the hilt of a beam weapon on his hip.

Phantom smiled. "If you haven't killed yourself with that yet, maybe you can be of use. Follow me."

They walked back into the training room and Phantom unsheathed his energy-resistant metal blade.

"Come then, rookie. Show me what you have."

Elpizo nodded, his visage set, and took hold of his weapon. A purple rapier blade ignited from the silver hilt.

"A beam rapier! That's unusual."

Elpizo tried a fast jab to his opponent, rapier point leading the way. Phantom anticipated the move and moved his sword sideways, diverting the purple blade far to the side. He didn't expect Elpizo's next move though. The blonde reploid went for a fist right to his opponent's face. Phantom sidestepped at the last time, the balled hand passing a hair's width from his helmet.

_The kid is good. I underestimated him._

Phantom moved impossibly fast, almost teleporting behind Elpizo. As his sword went for a slash, a beam rapier intercepted it. Elpizo had managed to cover his back before the black guardian could exploit the opening. Phantom went into a flurry of fast hits, meaning to overwhelm his opponent. Elpizo had a hard time trying to block or dodge the master swordsman, his movements now purely defensive. Phantom, intending to unbalance the youth even more, threw a smoke bomb, compromising the sight of both combatants. He stopped moving and tried to listen, then frantically brought his sword in front of his face. Not a second too soon. Elpizo, instead of skulking in the darkness, had brazenly leaped to where Phantom was standing, meaning to smash his sword on the guardian's head. Inertia amplifying the power behind the hit, the two blades shrieked in unison and sparks flew at the point of contact. Phantom ended the duel by releasing his sword, ducking and delivering a sweeping kick to a very surprised Elpizo, who literally lost the ground from under his feet, landing painfully on his behinds.

As the smoke cleared, Phantom resheathed his blade and walked to the door, saying. "This was the craziest move I have ever seen, kid. You are careless, but you have potential. Came here tomorrow at the same hour to talk about your place in my army. You passed the test."

As Elpizo's smile took to his ears, Phantom exited the room and walked to his chambers. As soon as he opened the door, he noticed another presence. Ciel came out the blue, followed by an anxious Passy, and hugged him sobbing. The black guardian would trade his right hand to learn what had caused such emotional wreckage to the pink-clad girl, but understood she needed time. Instead, he tried to decipher the mumbled words that came out of her mouth.

"How can... any of you forgive me...after what I have ...done."

Phantom waited a bit longer, then, after she calmed down a little, he held her at arm's length.

"Why won't you tell me what happened first, princess", he whispered, his voice serene.

The young girl tried to speak, wrestling with her fears and conscience. "I was the one...that built the copy of...of X."

Phantom's eyes went wide as he stood there at a total loss, his worst fears becoming true. His voice became harsher, despite himself. "Ciel, you have to tell me everything. I had my suspicions but..."

"There is no time to waste, ninja-boy. Let her continue", said the cyber-elf, quite annoyed.

Ciel nodded and tried to recite the story, her sobs making the task even more difficult.

At long last she finished and expected Phantom to become mad, perhaps even lash at her. She deserved that much.

Instead, Phantom calmed down. "I feel very bad about that, Ciel, but what you did, saved Neo-Arcadia and perhaps the whole world. Why have you chosen this time to tell me and why are you so distressed?"

Ciel's eyes scanned the floor. Her voice was calmer now, but her face was sad. "It seems you haven't heard it yet. I tried my best, Phantom. I could never make him a personality identical to X's but I tried. I thought he could make a decent substitute, but something went terribly wrong. I just checked some results again. He has went Maverick, Phantom."

Phantom had to mentally force his jaw to return to a natural position. "Maverick? Then the humans..."

Ciel shook her head. "It is not that simple. X's fundamental designs prevented him from going Maverick, but I somehow used a component that was infected. The virus was weak and could not affect him, so it evolved. Instead of humans he will...he will target reploids. An hour ago, he started... discriminating against low life reploids. He forced them to move to another part of the city, confiscating their property. And...and this is only the beginning."

Phantom stood upright. "It is also my fault, Ciel. I will go and confront him right now."

Ciel grabbed his hand in a steely grip. "You can't Phantom. You might be killed. And why is it your fault?"

Phantom sighed. "I knew all along where master X is. He asked me to tell no one. He didn't want anybody worrying about him. I will try and defeat this copy if it won't listen to reason."

Ciel let his hand and tried to ignore the stunning news, determination evident in her voice. "I will come, too."

Phantom sighed again, knowing he could not change her mind. He briefly considered to ask the help of the other guardians, but Harpuia was currently absent, while Fefnir and Leviathan would be slow to understand the situation. Both of them had accepted that Copy X was indeed master X without any doubt.

The trio found the azure reploid in his private quarters, apparently lost in thought.

Phantom tried to say something, but Ciel beat him to it. "You have a lot to explain **Copy** X. Instead of protecting everybody, you have caused many reploids to suffer." The black guardian winced at the voice of the girl, her demeanor not even remotely resembling her behavior mere minutes ago.

Copy X turned and regarded the two visitors, his face the definition of neutrality.

"Welcome, Dr. Ciel. I'm glad to see my creator again. Oh, and Phantom, my loyal guardian. Is there something amiss?"

Phantom tried to keep his voice calm. "From the first time I saw you, I knew there was something wrong, but since you did a great job until today, I kept silent. But now you have gone too far, copy of X."

Copy X smiled faintly and shook his head. "My dear Phantom, it seems there is a misunderstanding. I might not be X himself, but I am a perfect copy, I have found that myself. I'm the hero the humans need and my foremost concern is to keep them safe and pleased."

Ciel's voice was sharper and colder than an ice saber. "The reason you were built was indeed to lead the residents of Neo-Arcadia. But that includes reploids too. The laws of the original X dictate that humans and reploids have the exact same rights. What are you trying to do?"

Copy X's face contorted, finally revealing the madness that hid in his eyes.

"The original X was a fool. I will not repeat his mistakes. It is tolerable to give the same rights to humans and reploids in eras of comfort, but we are facing a crisis here. Both races depend on energy to continue existing. But humans are living beings, while reploids are merely machines. Therefor I will strip as many reploids I can from their rights and subsequently retire them to preserve energy."

"You are insane", gasped Phantom. "Or did you forgot you are a reploid too?"

Copy X smiled. "Oh, I didn't forget about that. When my work is done, I will gladly terminate myself, happy my function has been fulfilled. But for these humans I am master X, their leader and god. They need me and rejoice at my name's sound."

"You are the biggest mistake I have ever done Copy X. I thought I could help the world but instead I created a menace. I thought I could make you resemble X if only a little...". Ciel tried hard not to start crying again. "...but you are an abomination. You will never become worthy of the name you bare."

"Stand back, Ciel. It's high time I disposed of that imposter", said Phantom, his blade flashing.

"Go get him, Phantom", shrieked Passy.

Copy X's words were cold. "I will prove you wrong, both of you. I will surpass X. Nobody will stop my righteous quest."

His body was engulfed in a blinding aura and his angel armor phased in, shinning white and golden.

"Of all the armors in my disposition, I find that to be the most appropriate", he said, as formed his buster.

Ciel fell back feeling useless, as Phantom dodged a rain of powerful plasma shots. The black guardian launched his suriken then rode it, throwing his metal ninja daggers right on target. Copy X just laughed and took to the air too, impossibly fast, avoiding the sharp missiles. Twin torrents of fire erupted from his arm cannon, circling around Phantom and compromising his movement. Using the fire as cover, Copy X air-dashed through the flames, connecting with a very surprised Phantom and knocking him off his twirling weapon. The black guardian regained his balance rabidly, reaching the ground smoothly and disappearing from view at once. As Copy X landed, a multitude of Phantoms circled him, all of them rushing at him, seemingly unleashing different attacks with their razor-sharp metal swords. The insane reploid smiled and released a charged ice shot, spreading ice shards in all directions. The mirror images disappeared and Phantom grasped his wounded leg, removing a dagger-like icicle while suppressing the pain.

"You should know it is futile to fight me, Phantom. I will yet forgive you if you swear loyalty."

"My only master is the real X!", shouted Phantom as he lunged forward at top speed, his sword extended.

Copy X's speed was superior, as he simply caught the black guardian's forearm with his left hand, diverting the jab and causing him to miss, then drove his knee into his opponent's abdomen, doubling him over. He concluded his devastating counter-attack by simultaneously launching a huge energy sphere from his right hand, sending Phantom crashing on a far wall, heavily wounded.

The black guardian tried to stand up again, but a wing-adorned white and golden foot stomped forcefully on his back. Phantom turned to Ciel, who was standing still with horror.

"Run, Ciel. Get away...from him."

The small cyber-elf was currently shouting a stream of insults targeted at the mad tyrant.

Copy X too turned to the young girl. "The mere thought of hurting a human disgusts me infinitely, Dr. Ciel, but I might consider detaining you if you continue to cause inconveniences. As for my friend, Phantom here, a slight reprogramming might help him see where his loyalties lie. Don't bother trying to do the same with the rest of the guardians. From today, Phantom will be responsible to...correct them if they stray too far from my wishes. As for your cyber-elf, such creatures are beneath me. One day it will sacrifice itself for some petty, insignificant reason. Have a nice day, Dr. Ciel."

Two Pantheon guards stepped in, Copy X apparently controlling them, and gently removed the now screaming Ciel from his quarters.

As soon as silence returned around him, the Maverick copy of X smiled, obviously very pleased with himself...

* * *

Another chapter done... Not full of action, but I think it promoted the plot quite a bit. To all of you that thought Phantom behaved too OOC. The joke's on you!

Elpizo: Objection!

What do you want, "blushing boy?"

Elpizo: You have made me a klutz that caused a genocide. I want to see my lawyer .

You should be thankful. I gave everybody another reason to hate you, I didn't call you "Elf piss", I made you a good swordsman and, most importantly, you were not a fag in my fic.

Elpizo: Who would doubt my manly charm? (Does trademark gay hair-caressing movement.)

Get out of my face. (Holds folder labeled "Elpizo and Phantom Lemons", five seconds later, Elpizo reaches the south pole, still running...)

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** Morbid? If I didn't want to maintain the rating, I would show you morbid;-). Thanx about the good words as always and... Why not "MyGBDScanTalk"? Ciel has a hard time in this chapter I think...

**To Demented-Demon:** Fef and Levi will be doing that a lot...I believe the color is somewhere in between. It depends on the light;-). It was supposed to be a sick joke...Oh well. I finished RMZ4, but I really want to see what they say. Everybody talked more than all other three games combined...

**To Myhi:** Oh my gosh! I let personal information slip (Capcom commandos crash through the window, FBI style;-). I will try the slang, but it's difficult. I don't casually speak English and the best thing I can do is a parody like Linda. Fefnir does have an accent, I hope, but never Ciel... I hope I made her a bit more emotional this time. From now on, I won't even mention her age anymore...Thanks for the constructive review.

**To ** **Prjct.WAR: **Well, I hope you will manage to reach this chapter and read this. If you liked cha1 and 2, I think you will like the rest, too.

**To mad-man:** It was mild, but I have a rating to think. If I put that in the R section, much fewer people would notice it. It would be hidden by default...I generally write on impulse, but I try to revise the action scenes.

**To zidetprincess1: **(eats biscuit, spits him out again. It was like Ciel's cooking:-). You won't be able to hug X so easily in the next chapter, cyber-elf and all that, but he will have a much more active role in my fic than in the games...Hopefully. Update and keep your c-word hidden.

**To Star Ninja: **Thank you, thank you (bows). You can always become a fan;-D. I saw you updated just a minute ago. I will read it as soon as possible.

I want to thank Blademaster for telling me I did not allow unsigned reviews. Yes I'm stupid, I thought I did all that time...

Whoever finds out who the two scientists that helped Ciel were, gets a cookie. Hint: dual anime reference. The same goes for the initials IHTC-CD. Hint: original idea. And for those who don't know it, the Greek letter "S" is "Sigma";-).

In the next chapter, somebody might be resurrected by a certain cyber-elf. Or, more properly, completed...

(Random shout): I love my reviewers!.!.!.!


	8. Resistance and return

Good to see you again! I'm glad people liked last chapter. I'm currently listening the MMZ4 ending theme. It is a bit depressing, but I like it. Let's see if I'll manage to include everything I want in this chapter...

* * *

Chapter 8: Resistance and return

_Who am I?_

_What am I?_

_What is my purpose?_

_What do I wish for?_

_So many questions, so much time to answer them and yet, the answers hurt me. At least I think that is what pain should feel. I can't be sure._

_I know I want to fight. I am made like that. I believe I would like the lust of battle, but, more importantly, I want to fight to protect those who need protection. I search my memory files and find the tiny fragments of my original's character. He too fought to protect others, to protect everybody, but he didn't like to fight. I, on the other hand, had never had the chance to fight._

_I remember the day I was born clearly. It has been only a few months, but for me it is an eternity. Humans do not remember the time they start to exist, mainly because they are born immature. For reploids it is different. We remember every single detail of that moment that seems like eternity but lasts milliseconds. But I don't know if I can even be classified as a reploid. Actually, the only proof I have I exist is the fact I can think these thoughts. And that is the only action I can do. I remember opening my eyes for the first time to see my mother. Well, creator more likely, but she was beautiful nonetheless. As she smiled, I tried to talk. I wanted to thank her for the gift of existence. But my body would not respond._

_Then, I noticed a second entity. It had no name, no form and no gender. It only understood destruction and darkness. At that moment I knew, don't ask how, but I did, that to let it take over the body we shared would be to annihilate everything. I could sense its thirst for the blood in the veins of the human before me. I acted purely on impulse or instinct or pure luck. A part of myself merged with the darkness and produced a third entity. I heard the words that came out of my mouth but weren't mine: _

"_Thank you."_

_The darkness was nowhere to be seen, but that new, dominant entity troubled me. He resembled me in many aspects, but the darkness was there too. Thank god I diverted its bloodlust for humans. But...I knew he would lash at reploids instead. I could read his thoughts, but he was oblivious to my presence._

_What am I?_

_I should have been a reploid, but I'm nothing more than a prisoner, a ghost in a bottle. And he, who should have been me, now controls that reploid body._

_I can see through his eyes, yet the light seems far away._

_I can hear through his ears, but the sounds seem faint._

_I can feel what he touches, but there is numbness._

_I can smell what he smells, but the smell is weak._

_I can taste what he tastes, but the taste is dull._

_Am I alive? Am I dead?_

_I see him who should have been me to brag about his 'return', but it seems wrong. The original wouldn't do that. But the people seem happy and their happiness is my happiness. I know it is how I was made, but that changes nothing. _

_Then I hear his thoughts. And I shudder, though I have no physical form. My purpose was to defend humans and reploids, to substitute the original until his return. I would have done my best to match my creator's expectations. But he, who should have been me, only wants to protect humans. Some of his thoughts hold truth, though twisted because of the darkness. To protect humans he wants to eradicate reploids. I shout in anguish, but I have no voice and no form. All I can do is watch. I watched him when my creator and the guardian known as Phantom came to stop him. I hate to see my mother like that. And Phantom is now a shell of his former self, a puppet of the one, who should have been me._

_I hear him ordering the guardians to start retiring low life reploids, labeling them as Mavericks. I saw them stare in disbelief, but comply under the power of the one, who should have been me. And I feel helpless._

_What do I wish for?_

_I wish for death. Not out of self-pity, though that should have been the case. Perhaps my original and I are not so different. No, I wish for death so that the one, who should have been me, would stop to terrorize this world I was bound to protect. And I wish for death because I know, don't ask how, I just do, that before this body dies, I will get a brief moment of life, I will become alive even for a nanosecond. Despite that, I still wish to fight, but I can't and I know it is futile._

_I will wait for the one worthy to retire this body and release me. I prefer oblivion compared to what the one, who should have been me, is now doing. I wait and pray._

_Who am I?_

_I should have been the copy of X, but I have failed and do not deserve that name. I am no one, but I still exist. And I want to fight for the right reasons._

_I wait and pray.

* * *

_

Phantom yet again walked the wide corridors, heading for the training room as usual. What changed was the lifeless, vacant look on his face, though anybody thinking him helpless would be in for a nasty surprise. He entered the large, arena-like chamber and saw a single reploid waiting for him.

"I'm ready, sir!", said the reploid and saluted.

Phantom regarded Elpizo as nothing more than a bug. "What are you doing here?"

Elpizo's face fell. "You...you told me to wait here for you to tell me what my place in your army will be, general."

A wicked smile found its place on the black guardian's face. "Of course, and I know just what your work might be. My soldiers could use you to wipe their feet, I believe. I'm not sure if you are qualified, but we will see."

Elpizo's eyes went wide, as he tried to form a response. "But...but...I thought..."

Phantom laughed loudly, but then anger dominated his face. "You little piece of wasted scrap, you really thought you are worthy of my army? Get out of my sight and be thankful you are still alive!"

Elpizo rushed out at top speed, his world and dream shattered, not knowing what to think. Since Ciel had halted her work at the lab and since nobody would bother to look for him, he wandered the halls of the Neo-Arcadia palace aimlessly, trying to avoid meeting anyone. His steps brought him to the dusty storeroom, where he had accidentally and unknowingly caused Copy X to go insane. He punched in the password, which no one had bothered to change, and entered, closing the door behind him. The real reason that had attracted him there was still shinning darkly. Elpizo placed his hands on the glass-like material that imprisoned the unusual cyber-elf and stayed very still. He could sense the power the baby elf could give him and wild dreams sprouted inside his mind. Dreams of vengeance, of conquer and of a certain blond human girl. Many hours passed before he retreated his hands and left the room, but he knew he would come back again. And again and again...

* * *

Ciel walked out of the old building swearing under her breath. Since Copy X's activation, the council has been demoted, remaining with less authority than ever before and forced to operate in the oldest part of the city. Now the hated clone had just managed to somehow kick the last of the reploid councilors out of the council, using every last ounce of his ever-growing political power.

"And the rest of the fools are too scared to do anything", she fumed. The youngest councilor had tried to somehow punch through the wall of fear-caused indifference, but nobody would help or even hear her.

"Please calm down, Ciel. Getting all mad won't help you. You did your best."

Ciel turned and smiled faintly at the cyber-elf beside her. "Thank you, Passy, for cheering me up. You have been a great help, but this time I feel so useless."

As she walked fast, wanting nothing more than reach the nearby airlane and get a cab to bring her home, she heard a sniffle coming from beside her. She turned and saw the entrance of a dark and dirt alley, pinpointing it as the source of the now unrelenting, muffled sobs. Curiosity and good will took the better of her and she cautiously walked into the alley.

"This part of the city should have been torn down years ago. While we were occupied with managing the crisis, the world has started to collapse", she muttered absentmindedly as she approached the sound source. She curiously regarded a shuddering mass of hastily placed cardboard boxes, then moved them gently to reveal a small girl with long, blonde hair crying. As Ciel reached slowly for the child, she closed her eyes and braced herself for a hit. The young scientist's hand touched her gently and then gasped, her mind whirling.

_I know that feeling. She feels almost as a human, but I have been working on them far too long not to notice. She is a reploid made to be a child. But why?_

The reploid girl turned and regarded Ciel hesitantly. At long last, she opened her mouth and spoke. "You...you won't hurt me, will you?", she asked, her voice frightened.

Ciel hugged the girl on impulse. "I promise I won't. Do you want to tell me what you are doing here?

"They want to catch me. That bad blue soldiers with the red eye. Can you take me home?"

Ciel stood there regarding the reploid girl with mute disbelief. _Not only her body, but her mind is also one of a six year's old._

"Hey, Ciel. What is the matter? You zoned out."

Ciel clasped the girl's hand, ignoring the elf. "What is your name, little girl? I'm Ciel."

The girl's face fell to the ground. "I had a name, but it was not mine. It belonged to a dead human girl..."

Ciel had an idea what that meant. Human parents that just wouldn't accept their child died. She pitted the girl and felt a need to somehow help her. "So we will have to find you a new name, one only for you, don't you agree."

The girl faintly smiled for the first time. "Let me see...How about... Alouette?", continued Ciel.

The reploid girl thought about it for a while, then nodded again. "I like it, Ciel. It is a good name."

"Do you want me to help you find your way home?"

Alouette shuddered. "Yes, but...I'm afraid", she said, close to tears.

Ciel opened her bag and produced a stuffed animal, resembling a cat. She gave it to Alouette, who took it gingerly. "This is my lucky charm, Alouette. A very dear person gave it to me, but you need it more than I do."

The girl smiled freely now, as she hugged the cat doll tightly. "Thank you, Ciel. I'm not afraid now."

"So Alouette, let's get home together."

The human and the reploid walked a short distance, only to enter an apparently abandoned and rundown building. As Ciel looked around the dirty interior, three reploid figures came out from hiding very slowly. As soon as they saw Alouette, they jumped over the piles of junk and gathered around her.

One of them turned to Ciel, while the others welcomed the girl back. "We are thankful for your assistance, miss. I thought the girl was a goner."

Ciel kindly dismissed his thanks. "It was nothing. More importantly, what are you doing here in this ruin?"

"Yeah, this place is worse than a hovel", added Passy.

Everybody face-faulted. "All of us are fugitives, labeled as Mavericks for no reason at all. We are forced to hide here and survive on almost nothing at all. We just try to live a little bit longer before we eventually get caught. And you are?"

Ciel couldn't hear the last question and she wouldn't be able to respond anyway, as the realization sank in. _This is entirely my fault, _her mind screamed, _I have turned X's dream into a nightmare!_

One of the reploids walked to a board-sealed, broken window and peeked outside. A second later he gasp, turned around, his face a mask of fear and motioned to the others frantically. Ciel, still lost in her thoughts, felt someone grabbing her and jumping behind the pile of junk while holding her. Immediately afterwards, the door was shredded to pieces and a tall figure walked in, followed by five Pantheons.

Ciel recognized the voice in an instant. "It is futile to hide, Mavericks. I, Sage Harpuia, first guardian of Neo-Arcadia am here to retire you. You can come out calmly and I promise a death without suffering." The jade general's voice hid a barely audible undercurrent of sadness and resentment, but was otherwise almost trance-like.

Ciel gawked in disbelief as one by one the wrongly accused reploids rose from their hiding places, their hopes all but snuffed.

"I guess this is all of you", sighed Harpuia and readied his twin beam sabers.

He stopped short as another figure rose from behind the garbage piles.

The emerald guardian remained speechless for a long time, then his eyes were filled with anger. "If you Mavericks have hurt as much as a hair of this human, you will scream for mercy a thousand times before I release you from this world", he shouted, his voice nothing more than a snarl.

A cold voice came from the now determined blonde girl. "This is enough, Sage. Have you fallen so low as to threaten innocents like that?"

It was Harpuia's time to be surprised. "What are you talking about, Ciel. They are Mavericks, I have orders from master X to retire them. Come here quickly and I will get you home."

As the green general stepped forward, Ciel reached her belt and drew a tiny plasma buster. She only carried the weapon in self-defense as a necessary evil. She had undergone some practice, but she never thought she would have to use it. "I won't allow them to be harmed Sage. If they were indeed Mavericks, I would have been dead by now. This is the proof that the one you call X is lying. The real X would never do that." Ciel was now pointing the small weapon towards Harpuia.

The guardian frowned. "Have you gone mad, Ciel? Stop this foolishness and move away from them. I don't like what I do, but my master's orders are absolute. You can't believe you can hurt me with that thing and I don't think you would press the trigger either. Not after what we have gone through."

Tears almost started flowing from the young scientist's eyes, but she held them back and steeled her resolve. "After all that, you should know that that X is an imposter. You have become pathetic, Sage." Before Harpuia could take another step, Ciel pointed the buster towards her head. "Of course this thing could never possibly hurt you, Sage. But it can sure as hell hurt me. I am desperate, Sage. Step away or I'll do it."

Harpuia's face lost its color and he instinctively stepped back. The mere thought of a human and, more importantly a dear friend killing herself because of him, numbed his mind. He could read clearly Ciel's eyes and he saw determination and infinite grief. She would do it if he didn't comply.

Everybody remained speechless for a long time, the heavy silence lingering above the stalemate. The seconds seemed to last forever, as Ciel, still holding the weapon trained on herself, searched for a way out of this mess for the reploids she had involuntarily sentenced to death.

The answer came in the form of an insanely loud noise that ripped apart the silence, along with one of the structure's walls. A large hover bike, more likely a hover car minus the ceiling, emerged through the wreckage, featuring a great plasma cannon that still smoked and a large trailer behind it that hovered along with the main vehicle. The driver was wearing a black cloak that hid his body and face entirely, though the rest of the reploids cheered at their good luck, obviously aware of the figure's identity.

Both Ciel and Harpuia looked at the new arrival totally dumbfounded. In a blink, the reploids climbed on the trailer, gently dragging Ciel along. The X droids got ready to shoot, but Harpuia motioned them not to. Ciel was still holding her little buster. The hover car stirred on the spot and bolted out of the gaping hole at top acceleration.

Harpuia opened his helm-comm. "Fairy, sent some X-droids on hover bikes at skylane 345. Yes only droids. Ciel was with the fugitives and uses herself as a shield. The droids will not kill her and she cannot blackmail them as she could do with sentient soldiers. Yes, you heard right. In master X's name, Fairy! We will talk about it later, stop shouting."

The green sky lord closed his eyes and sighed. _Is what we do the right thing and who can judge that. Damn you, Phantom. I need your advice, but you have gone reclusive on me. I'm lost without you...

* * *

_

"Thank you so much for saving us", said Ciel to the mysterious driver.

"It seems you were doing great even without my help, miss. I have never seen Harpuia so stunned."

"You know him?", asked Ciel, recovering from her last grim experience, her curiosity piqued.

The driver chuckled. "Well, I actually..."

"Everyone, we have company behind us. Drive faster!", warned Passy.

Surely enough, twenty X-droids, riding advanced hover bikes, were tailing them. The hover car was already half-way to the skylane, where they might stand a chance to lose them.

The driver reacted before panic could kick in. He opened a compartment hidden under the car's back seats and revealed a stash of weaponry, mainly plasma and laser rifles. "Don't just stand there", he shouted. "They won't shoot directly at us since our human guest is on board, but we will."

Each of the three reploids grabbed a rifle and tried to snipe down the pursuers but achieved little while Aluette skulked in the back seat of the car. Not really trained in the use of such military equipment, most of their shots hit nothing at all and those few that were true on their mark were easily deflected by the hover bikes' reaction shields. Nonetheless, the stray shots averted the Pantheons from reaching their vehicle's potential top speed, their energy cores having to activate the shields instead of just propelling them.

At long last, they reached the closest skylane, which was fortunately already evacuated. The skylane was a large transparent tube that used electromagnets to triple the speed of any vehicle that treaded inside.

The hover car entered the tube and started accelerating, while the hover bikes followed hot on their trail. The three rifle wielding reploids tried to slow them down again, but at such speed it was almost impossible. The X-droids dodged all of the hits by ascending at the top of the tube and traveling upside-down, exploiting the skylane's potential. Ciel turned to the driver. "I want to fight too. Would you happen to have a weapon with an active interface port?"

The driver turned to regard the bold girl, showing his face for the first time. His hair was gray and he wore a white and yellow visor that covered his eyes.

"Yes I have one", he said, indicating the largest of the weapons, almost as tall as Ciel. "But to handle it, you must know how to use the CL-os. I only use top-notch operating systems for my weapons.

Ciel nearly laughed aloud as she straggled and finally managed to haul the large weapon out of the compartment and into the trailer. The other three reploids stopped shooting and turned to regard her, an incredulous look on their faces. She ignored them and opened the rifle's magnetic base, rooting it firmly on the metal floor of the trailer. Then she slid down the visor that always rested on her head and connected it with a slim cable to the rifle.

Then the fireworks started.

A pantheon rider, taking advantage of the temporary halt of wild plasma shots, drove on the side walls of the tube, coming right next to the hover car and lashing at the driver with a plasma club. Before he could execute the attack, Ciel locked him on. A blazing salvo of rabid laser shots hit the would be attacker, his shields shattering like glass and allowing the bike to explode along with his mindless rider.

Four other hover bikes had managed to get closer too and tried to ram the vehicle at top speed. The driver smiled. "You are not the only ones who know acrobatics. Hang on, everybody."

Just before the bikes would connect, the hover car moved sharply to the right, took to the ceiling too and slowed down. The first two passed right below the hover bike and went in front of it, coming into range of the car's plasma cannon. Not able to raise their shields during such a boost, they went down easily. Ciel, controlling the rifle remotely, locked on the other two pantheon riders despite the fact she was upside down and had to aim downwards. Her shield-piercing weapon blew them to smithereens in rabid and accurate succession.

The three reploids riding along Ciel were still gawking at her in disbelief, when the driver's voice aroused them. "Don't just stand there like idiots. My plasma cannon is overheated and the girl can't shoot all of them down at once, especially if they come too close."

"Yeah, the 'cloaky' is right, circuitheads. Do something with those guns for a change", shouted Passy, her high-pitched voice overshadowing the strained engines.

Too late.

The hover car was still running inside the cylinder topsy-turvy , its levitation engines almost touching its top, but now the pursuers have managed to surround them. On each of the four sides of the vehicle two riders, their shields activated and enchanted with ion pulse interface, were ready to ram their chasers at the same time. Ciel knew that to be touched by two of those shields would cause their engines to die out. Apparently, the driver knew it too. "There is only one way out, but it will be painful. Just keep steady and brace yourselves."

As the attackers approached to execute their plan, their shields fully charged, the driver momentarily shut the engines down, then activated them inverted, the one pushing the other pulling, then returned them to casual mode. This fast-as-lighting action caused the hover car to disengage from the ceiling, spin a half circle while falling downwards and reengage at the bottom of the lane, retaining its unreal speed all the while. The pantheons could do nothing as their shields collided with each other, short-circuiting their bikes' energy cores, and they fell down hard on top of two unlucky comrades that happened to be below them. The ensuing explosion rocked the skylane, but the foundations lasted.

The seven remaining pantheons opened fire with ion shot busters. Ciel was temporary out of the fight, her head still spinning from that last side-flip stunt, but the ion shots would not easily kill a human, being mainly an anti-machine –and anti-reploid – weapon. It still hurt like hell though...

The driver strafed left and right frantically, trying to avoid the jamming shots and doing a great job. Two of the other reploids were firing their rifles again, while the third and a very scared Aluette held a disorientated Ciel who still tried to recover.

Two riders came close to the trailer and punched one of the reploids out of the way, trying to reach Ciel. An angry light circled around them like a hornet and then passed right through the first one's head. As Passy phased in again, the pantheon's systems went crazy and his bike crashed on the second and caught fire that consumed the two riders.

"Damn, I can't lose them", muttered the driver as he tried to find a way out of the mess. Then he saw another problem. A flock of proximity mines floated far ahead of them, blocking their way. The driver tried to use his grand plasma cannon again, but it was still overheated.

"At this rate, we are dead", he said cursing.

Before he could think another thought, a barrage of high energy shots raced from behind him. He turned to see Ciel, wearing her visor again and flawlessly aiming at the mines. Mere seconds later, the way was clear.

"You are a natural sniper, girl. Can you take the rest?"

"The power cells are depleted", answered the young scientist, her voice resigned.

"And mine is overheated. Any ideas how we can get away?"

"I have a crazy one, but it might just work."

The other reploids looked at the duo with awe. Despite the desperate situation, they were both quite calm.

The driver smiled as he heard Ciel's plan, while the others almost fainted. "You have guts, girl. Let's do this, though it pains me. I have invested quite a lot of time in this baby. Just be careful. We only get one chance", he said while passing her a toolbox.

While the three others kept the pantheons at bay, Ciel grabbed a wrench and expertly removed part of the hover's machine cover, then proceeded to unscrew some heated bolts. "Ready when you are", she said.

The driver peeked at a small screen beside him that displayed a map of the area. "Brace yourselves. At my signal girl."

An exit from the skylane appeared far ahead but at their speed, they would reach it in mere seconds.

"NOW"

Ciel removed the last nut and a shinning object fell from under the hover bike, just as the vehicle exited the grand cylinder. The car's overloaded energy core. Using the last of its energy, the hover car crash-landed away from the lane, then sledded for the better part of thirty seconds, stopping just before an unyielding steel wall. Behind them, the remaining pantheons were caught in the overheated explosion of the core that summarily reduced them to hot chunks of metal.

"Phew, that was a close call", sighed Ciel, while trying to make the world stop spinning again and hugging Aluette at the same time. "Passy, are you all right?"

The cyber-elf was exhausted, but wouldn't admit it. "I'm fine. An ion shot grazed me, but I'm tougher than that, you know."

The driver removed his cloak and regarded the hover car. "Well, another all-nighter to fix that, I guess." He turned to the girl. "I have never seen somebody using the CL-os like that. You might have heard about me, my name is Cerveau."

Ciel's eyes went wide. "The famous engineer? The one that has been helping the guardians with their weapons for the past ten years? Are they trying to retire you, too."

Cerveau smiled. "It would take them a while to decide that, I believe. They sorely need me for the time being, but I just can't sit back and look at that genocide."

"It is my pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cerveau. I'm Ciel."

It was Cerveau's time to gawk in disbelief. "The genius protegee of master X, creator of the CL-os system, honored member of the council. And I thought I was famous. No wonder Harpuia's face was white as a sheet of paper, you grew among the guardians. What are you doing here?"

Ciel face-faulted. "The master X that now rules Neo-Arcadia is not the real X, but a copy, infected with a virus. He is somehow controlling guardian Phantom and the rest still think he is the real one."

"These are grave news, indeed. We have to do something. Miss Ciel, do you still want to help?"

Ciel nodded. _It's high time I tried to correct my botch. _"I will do anything, Mr. Cerveau. I, too, can't stand to watch."

"Yeah, you should be thankful, too, mister stunt-driver", said Passy.

The reploids and the human girl walked quite a distance, after Cerveau concealed his trashed car, and reached what looked like a great garage.

"This is my place. Please come inside to catch your breaths", said the mechanic.

"Thank you, Mr. Cerveau. I believe we have much to talk about."

* * *

The four guardians were gathered at Copy X's personal quarters, being summoned by the insane leader.

"We are here master", said Harpuia, as he bowed before him. X would never ask that from his subjects, but his lookalike had other ideas.

Copy X nodded. "I called you because I believe we have a delicate problem. It was kept secret until now, but it will surely leak. Even after shutting down those news agencies that... insulted Neo-arcadia, those journalists are still a pain."

"What is the problem, my master?", asked Phantom, his voice hollow.

"A succeeded train raid, two failed ones, a sabotage at one of our pantheon's factories, a ship highjack, three prison breaks and a stream of utter insults and lies."

Everybody stared at him in disbelief. "Who would do that?", asked Leviathan.

Copy X's face darkened. "An extremist organization that calls itself 'The Resistance' is responsible for this chaos. I wouldn't hesitate to just go and crash those Mavericks, but there is a problem."

A screen lowered from the ceiling and a map flashed on it.

"This is the map of what is left of old Arcadia. Most of it is wasteland and ruins, though we still keep some functional buildings. It seems those Mavericks have found a hole somewhere there and established a crude base. There are also small clusters of them hiding in many other places around the globe. But the real problem is their leader."

The screen flashed again and all guardians except Phantom gasped. A really familiar face was displayed on the screen.

"Ciel! But that's..."

Copy X sneered. "Indeed. She resigned from the council, liquefied her property and disappeared two months ago. She is their leader, a traitor and a criminal, but we can't attack them yet. I don't want to risk the life of a single human, even if she is a villain. Nonetheless, the people must hear who their enemies are before pointless rumors come out and Ms. Ciel has earned a fifty million Zenny bounty on her head, alive and unharmed, of course. We will not strike their base yet, but from now on, we will crash their attempts without mercy. "

The guardians nodded grimly.

"For peace and neo-Arcadia. That would be all."

* * *

"Do you really believe what we do is correct?"

Hapuia lowered his eyes, avoiding eye contact with his companion. He had been asking the same question over and over again himself, but could find no answer.

"It is the master's order, Fairy."

The blue general had barged inside his room as soon as he had returned.

"You didn't answer the question, Sage. I asked you what you believe."

"It is not my place to doubt master X's words."

He could see Leviathan's face contorted with frustration. "I don't get it, Sage. First master X returns and he behaves erratically, then Phantom will barely talk to us anymore and only to issue orders, then little Ciel helps those supposed Mavericks to escape at personal risk, founding a terrorist organization and now you refuse to tell me what you think. Even Fefnir, the most oblivious of all people, has started feeling uneasy. He almost said that himself, but he is afraid to talk in case we mock him. Damn it, look at me when I talk to you, Sage!"

"Leviathan, calm down please. There must be a logical explanation for all that. Master X has changed, but you know it's him. The way he fights, the DNA signature, everything fits."

"Except the personality, Sage. And what about Phantom. Heck you two were the best buddies around."

"People change, Fairy. We have to protect the humans from the Mavericks."

"That is what we have been doing for so long. Protecting the humans and only them. What about the reploids, Sage? What about the 'prosperity for all' theme we grew to respect? People change? Stop hiding behind your finger!"

Harpuia's voice became angry. "And what will you do, Fairy Leviathan? Go against master X? Betray the humans and our creator? Defy the reason for your existence?"

Leviathan seemed to lose determination, but continued. "What if this is not master X? Will we destroy what he held sacred? At first it was great he returned. People were happy. But now they are just scared."

Harpuia seemed to find the floor very interesting and calmed down, dropping the anger facade. "I had the same conversation with Phantom a long time ago, Fairy, when master X returned. We would have fought him if we were sure he was not the one we think he is. But now he is convinced about that and he would fight us if we did otherwise. Are you ready to fight against master X and Phantom? Without even being sure about what you do? And what chance would we have to win?"

Leviathan stared at him incredulously. "Are you... afraid too, Sage?"

The jade guardian turned around and walked out of his room, leaving Fairy to stare at the empty space.

She failed to notice a small light at one of the room's corners that shinned for a second and then disappeared. X, inhibiting the body of a cyber-elf, phased through the wall and left, his thoughts a jumbled mess.

_Is this just a bad dream? I wake up to find I have become a cyber-elf. Somebody has taken my place and kills innocents. My guardians are lost, reduced to mere puppets and forced to kill. And Ciel is the only one that acts. I have to learn more about the imposter._

X in cyber-elf form phased through the reinforced walls of the palace, heading to what used to be his chambers. He found out that he could drill himself through the defense and jamming shields with little effort, his power as a cyber-elf being great.

He phased at the top of a corner and saw three people inside the room. The first was Fefnir, the red guardian known for his zeal. The second was the imposter. X cringed at how similar they seemed yet how different. What bothered him though, was the energy output his new-found senses were reading

He is powerful indeed, perhaps half of what my peak power had been. I stand no hope against him without my body.

The third person in the room reminded him of someone, but had his back towards him, his face hidden. He was wearing black, sleekarmor and had orange, spiky hair. Then it hit him.

_Can he be..?_

"So, what does a kid want from me, the great ruler of Neo-Arcadia?", said Copy X.

The black reploid seemed perplexed and angered. "I came to see X, the real X. Not some darn lookalike so full of himself."

Fefnir produced his giant buster. "Nobody insults master X like that, shrimp."

Copy X ignored the loud guardian, focusing on the apparently young individual before him. His voice seemed neutral, but undercurrents of anger were evident. "Why would you presume I am not the real master X kid? Can't you sense my power?"

"The X I know would never boast like a peacock and would never retire reploids without being sure they're Mavericks. You're just a cheap excuse of X."

Copy X's face darkened, but he retained his calm facade. "I don't have time for you, kid. Fefnir, please take care of him."

"Shall I kick him out, master X?", said the guardian, longing for some action.

Copy X glared at him. "I fear we will be forced to retire him, Fefnir. He is obviously Maverick and a danger to everybody."

Fefnir's eyes went wide. "Re...retire him, master X? But he was only..."

"Do you have a problem with my orders, Fighting Fefnir? Have you forgotten who I am?"

"N...no master. I will do as you say."

Copy X left the chamber and the scarlet guardian turned to the black reploid. "I don't really want to kill ya, kid, but I have to."

The black reploid seemed amused. "So you are nothing more than an imposter's plaything, eh? Do you also wash his feet every evening?"

Fefnir was generally considered a short fuse. This time though, he managed to speak without going berserk. "I was going to make it painless, kid, but now you have done it."

The red guardian launched a large orb of fire towards the black reploid, meaning to finish the battle fast. The shot exploded in a fiery blast, filling the space with smoke.

"It's a shame, really", sighed the guardian.

"Wow, that was a great blast there, pal."

Fefnir turned around to see the black reploid standing behind him, apparently unharmed.

The guardian smiled. "It seems you are better than I thought, kid. Maybe this won't be a bad fight after all."

He sent a multitude of small but potent fire shots right on the target. The black reploid jumped high, then he activated the small thrusters attached on his feet, uncannily zigzagged in the air and landed without a single injury.

"Well, there is no other way", he said as he phased in his twin pistols.

Fefnir smiled. "What do you think you will do with these peashooters, kid?". The plasma bolt that hit him, sent him flying backwards.

"You were saying?", mocked the black reploid, smoke rising from one of his guns.

The red guardian snarled and stood up, then leaped in the air and hailed his opponent with a rabid succession of fireballs. The black reploid just stepped back, completely avoiding the attack. But Fefnir had planned that. He dashed through the smoke veil of his previous attack and grabbed his adversary's hand between the jaws of his buster.

"Not so tough now, are we, he said, as his free hand balled to a fist and punched the black reploid at the face. He took the blow, then morphed his trapped hand that was slowly crashed into a plasma blade emitter. A green sizzling blade appeared and cleanly severed the buster's jaws. Fefnir glared at his damaged buster in disbelief.

"What kind of beam weapon could do that?", he muttered.

His opponent had problems of his own. His hand returned to normal but was damaged. Most importantly, a head-spitting headache ravaged him.

"Damn, that's what happens when I use the data of those two." Despite his suffering, he turned to the red guardian cockily. "Heh, that was merely a half-powered copy of the real thing, dude."

Fefnir snarled and leaped on his smaller adversary, meaning to use his raw power to defeat him. The black reploid attempted to shoot him with one of his pistols, but his malfunctioning hand would not cooperate. Swearing, he used his other hand, shooting a charged electric shot at point blank, sending the red guardian flying backwards. Unfortunately for him, Fefnir had firmly grabbed him just before the shot went flying. This caused both of them to get zapped and crash on a nearby wall, denting it beyond recognition. The black gunman rose almost immediately, quite injured but still in almost full power. Fefnir followed soon afterwards, still able to stand, but barely.

"Who the hell are you?", the red guardian managed to ask.

The seemingly young reploid smiled, still favoring his hand. "Name's Axl, pal. I fought along with X during the elf wars."

Before Fefnir could conjure any kind of response, a comm. beeped in Axl's helmet.

"_Fall back, Axl. I have analyzed the results of that 'X'. He is not as powerful as I feared, but you are still hardly a match for him, even at peak performance."_

Axl, the black tiger, sighed. "Ok, doc. I read ya". He turned to his adversary who was now ready to resume the duel. "I would love to stay, but the old geezer will have none of it", he said as he teleported away, leaving a very stunned Fefnir behind.

* * *

Ciel was restless, pacing back and forth inside her small room, her mind clouded. A soft knock on the door forced her to return in reality.

"Come in", she sighed.

Cerveau opened the door, his face worried. Ciel looked at him expectantly, but he shook his head.

"They failed, Ciel. Our troops managed to reach the retiring facility, but then..."

Ciel's voice was nothing more than a whisper. "Are they...?"

Cerveau nodded gravely. "They were waiting for us, Ciel. One of Harpuia's second in command is posted there."

Ciel's gaze fell to the ground. "At first we did great and I thought I could manage to complete my research, while we would save as many as possible. Copy X would stop this madness if I could find an alternative energy source, he said that himself. But now...I fear we won't even be able to keep the Resistance together. Failure after failure..."

"Ciel, don't lose hope. Everybody in this base believes in you. And some of our detached regiments all over the world still carry out successful missions. We are just too close to Neo-Arcadia to be effective."

Ciel sighed again. "Everybody trusts me? I bet everybody would hate me if they knew... God, what have I done?"

Cerveau placed a hand on Ciel's shoulder. "You have told me everything and I don't blame you, Ciel. If you haven't done that, the world would have been in a full scale civil war by now."

"I thought I could maintain X's dream, Cerveau. I tried, but it... Even what the guardians do now is my fault. I know how Harpuia thinks. He always counted on Phantom's support. With Phantom a mere puppet, he is helpless. And the other two will follow Harpuia till the end. They won't admit it, but they see him as a mentor."

"Stop fretting about the past, Ciel. We must find a way to buy us some time. Have you thought anything."

"There is something, but not much."

Cerveau sighed. "We could use anything right now, Ciel. We are between a rock and a hard place."

"It is something X had told me before he left. About another great hero, greater even than himself. Zero."

Cerveau's eyes went wide. "The Zero? I have heard about him. The old stories say he was at least an equal to X. But what about him, he is merely a legend."

Ciel shook her head. "No, Cerveau. X was quite serious. Zero is supposed to be sealed somewhere in hibernation. If only we could find him..."

Cerveau shook his head. "I confess I can't really believe it, Ciel, but I can think of nothing better. We will try to collect information about that 'Zero'."

Ciel turned and smiled faintly. "Thank you, Cerveau. I could never have done that alone, but I have found so many friends here. I have Passy and you and Millan and everybody else to support me."

"Just try to cheer up a bit, Ciel. If that 'Zero' exists, we will find him", said Cerveau as he exited the room.

* * *

Sorry about not reaching Zero's awakening, but that car chase scene turned out to be large. Well, I don't think I have anything else to include before Zero's awakening now...

I want to thank DeyaX for letting me use the "Black tiger" nickname for Axl. I think it fits him.

To anybody who tried to steal a cookie from the last fic, you fell for it. Ciel made them;-)

**To MyGBAcanTalk: **I already said about "Sigma". Read more carefully:-D

**To mad-man:** You ate that biscuit? That had hurt...

**To Demented-Demon:** Well, it was about time somebody said something good about Phantom. He **was** one of X's "offsprings". I believe the first part of this chapter shows why Copy X is only half a reploid...

**To Uzu-Chan: **Yep, I pack more than what I can possibly control. You see? You got Axl back in this chappie. I told you he wasn't dead.

**To Myhi: **Well, I will keep forward, but it won't be an actual novelization. I will keep the important stuff on canon and I will add, remove or ...ahem...bend the rest. I have already thought the end of this story and in case I ever get bored (or stop getting reviews;-) I will just write it. In any other case, I might just continue up to or even beyond MMZ4, though I promise nothing as always...

**To zidet:** Carrot attacks won't work on me. I love raw carrots 0.o and I eat them before Axl can smell them... Hey, was that considered a cliffhanger? I didn't notice. (Points accusing finger) You should be updating instead of reading crappy review responds though...

**To Lotus: **Yay, my first real anonymous reviewer. I'm so happy I noticed I wasn't allowing them. Thanks for the good words. If enough people like the Light family, I might write something about them.

Sorry if you found today's installment a bit too angsty, blame the soundtrack... I'm thinking of introducing some new OCs, yes you read right OCs, to lighten the story in some parts...


	9. Cloak and conviction

Ok, the day of judgement is here. Nothing will stop me from awakening Zero this time... Btw, who could ever imagine that Alouette's doll was Phantom's gift to Ciel? Only me (cheesy evil laughter.)

* * *

Chapter 9: Cloak and conviction

Three cloaked figures approached the town known as Neo-Silvar. They came face to face with the massive walls, puny and primitive compared to Neo-Arcadia's, but still formidable. There were quite a few travelers at the gates, waiting to pass through the loose control. Though the settlement did belong to Neo-Arcadia union, it was a minor one and the military forces present were less than adequate to police it. Built upon the ruins of old Silvar and close to one of the sparse places were nature retained a bastion, the town was close to a small forest but in every other direction the usual wastelands were dominating the scenery. To protect themselves from the harsh conditions, all travelers had their faces covered. An ideal setup for anybody wanting to conceal their identity.

The small group reached the gate, where a really bored reploid officer, backed up with a couple of pantheons, asked them some typical questions without even bothering to check their faces. As soon as they entered the town, the middle figure sighed in relief.

"I didn't expected it to be so easy."

One of her companions chuckled. "You are a born worrier, Ciel. You'll never change."

The blonde girl turned to her companion. "Shut up, Milan. You are worse and you know it", she mocked.

"What do you mean worse. You were practically trembling back there."

"I wasn't the one who had that sidearm ready for use, Milan."

The black-haired reploid sighed in resignation. "You got me there." He turned to his third companion. "So, Colbor, do you remember were our contact is?"

The third companion stopped walking and thought for a bit.

Milan sighed. "Don't tell me you forgot again, Colbor. One day your recklessness will get you into serious trouble."

"Hey, give a reploid a second, Milan...Ah, I remember. We were supposed to meet at a local restaurant named the 'The joyful Maverick'. "

Both Ciel and Milan shot Colbor an incredulous glance. "Are you sure about the name, Colbor?", inquired Ciel, not in the least convinced.

Colbor smiled and pointed at something behind them. A giant screen displayed a bizarre advertisement: "Come to eat at The Joyful Maverick. Even Mavericks get charmed by our plates. We accept everybody so take a break from your problems and come to paradise. The first glass of beer is FREE."

"See, I told you I wouldn't forget the name, Milan. I told you."

Milan shook his head. "You were only lucky this time Colbor. If we didn't stumble on that thing, we would have to search the whole damn town."

A voice was heard from under Ciel's cloak. "Can I came out now, Ciel? I'm bored to death you know."

Ciel's voice was a whisper. "Keep it low, Passy. A cyber-elf is a rarity here and we don't want to attract attention to ourselves. You have to stay hidden."

"Ok, ok. I was the one insisting to come along, anyway. Woe is me..."

Everybody couldn't help than chuckle, as they made their way towards the restaurant.

The building housing the "Joyful Maverick" was not one to gain a prize at beauty contests. It seemed to be one of the old Silvar buildings that somehow survived close to intact and was renovated afterwards. Perhaps fifty years ago.

_At least it still stands. _Thought Ciel, calculating how much time they had to get in and out safely before it would collapse.

The interior seemed a bit better. Many of the light bulbs were burned out and the rest barely managed to purge the darkness. At least there was less dust than what the rest of the town would indicate. It could actually be considered civilized. The soft, background music made things even better, though an occasional shout from one of the many reploid and human patrons would spoil that luxury. Ciel scanned the tables for the predetermined sign and her eyes stopped on one particular table, almost hidden in a dark corner. A napkin shaped into a swan origami rested in the middle, and an unremarkable reploid sat on one of its four chairs. The company made their way there and sat down.

"Welcome, Dr. Ciel. It is a pleasure to meet you at last."

"You are Antouan, I presume. Nice to meet you too."

The reploid smiled. "I know this is not a social call, so I will be swift." He motioned to the waiter, a costumed, bald and tall reploid.

"Would your friends need to order something, Antouan?", he asked politely.

Antouan winked to him. "Drop the facade, already. You know who they are." He turned to Ciel. "This is Orson, the actual owner of this hole and a great contributor to the Resistance", he whispered.

Orson bowed and kissed Ciel's hand. "An honor to have you at my humble establishment, milady", he said, a slight British accent in his words.

Ciel nodded, slightly embarrassed. "The honor is all mine, Mr. Orson. Forgive my impatience, but we need that information."

Orson nodded and discreetly indicated one of the patrons sitting at an equally concealed table. His frame was huge and tall and every inch of his body was hidden inside a giant black cloak. "A weird fellow indeed. He comes here once a week and speaks little, but he has confirmed he knows about Zero's whereabouts."

Antouan scowled. "Confirmed my ass. I had to pretend being drunk and to speak hours with him to make him spill the beans. The guy is paranoid, but our only hope. He's currently waiting for his two buddies to pick him up. A pair of equally cloaked freaks."

Orson smiled. "You should hold your tongue in front of a lady you vulgar. Many people come here that want to keep their identities hidden."

"Don't give me that, Orson. Anyway, what do we do now?"

"I will talk to him", said Ciel as she rose from her seat. "Alone", she added as the others tried to move too.

"But Ciel", started Milan.

Ciel ignored him and walked to the stranger's table. "Mind if I sit?", she asked gingerly.

The cloaked figure turned slowly and regarded the human girl. "S...sure", he stuttered. "Though I can't imagine what the leader of The Resistance would want from me."

Ciel gasped, but quickly regained her resolve. "Since you already know who I am. I will get right to the subject. We know you know the whereabouts of somebody we need."

The stranger seemed unsure. "I...I don't think I follow you", he said, as he raised a still full mug to his lips

"We need to know were Zero, the legendary Maverick hunter is." The figure choked on his drink, then turned to regard Ciel.

"How d...do you know about Zero?", he asked.

"You just confirmed it", she said, almost smiling.

The large reploid sighed. "I'm really sorry, Dr. Ciel, but I have promised to him not to reveal where he sleeps. At least until he..."

Right at that time, a small reploid rushed into the restaurant and made a motion to Orson, who immediately ran to where Ciel was.

"A pantheon unit, led by the town's commander is coming here. You have to leave now.

"What!", said both Ciel and the stranger at the same time. They regarded each other for a second, then shot up from their seats, as did a couple of other clients.

"Use the back door", shouted Orson, pointing to a half-concealed corridor at the back of the restaurant.

Ciel, Milan, Colbor, the stranger and some other figures rushed there and disappeared from sight. A second later, a reploid resembling a hyena rushed in, followed by five X-droids.

Orson walked to them and bowed. "What can I do for you today, commander Hyeron?"

The reploid in question snarled. "Don't mess with me, Orson. The only reason I haven't shut down this hovel is because so many humans like it for some reason. Seen any Resistance reploids, by the way?"

Orson's voice was almost smug. "I don't question my clients, good sir, and no Maverick has entered my establishment yet, but the food is good enough to make them calm down, I believe."

Hyeron frowned, "I'll get you one day, Orson. For now, my hands are tied, but I'll get you one day. You have too important friends for my liking", he said, as he rushed out to order the rest of his little army that waited outside.

"Have a good day, too", answered Orson, now almost chuckling. He turned to regard Antouan, still sitting at his table and laughing his head off. He shook his head. "Always so tactless. "

* * *

Ciel, Colbor and Milan tried to hide in one of the many alleys behind Orson's restaurant. The place was a virtual maze and soon they got lost.

"Do you think we are safe, Milan?", asked Colbor, his voice slightly trembling.

"I sure hope so", muttered the black-haired reploid, as he turned once again to see if Ciel was alright.

They stopped running when they reached a deserted, twisted back road, ruined buildings at every side.

Passy came out from hiding. "I will scout ahead", she said, quickly disappearing from sight.

"Be careful", shouted Ciel behind her and then scanned her surroundings. "Do you think we lost them?", she asked her companions after a while.

"We don't know if they were even after us, Ciel", said Milan.

"That's right. Have you seen how many other guys ran away too?", added Colbor.

"You are right", said Ciel, allowing herself to drop her guard a bit.

"You are wrong!", came a response from an unseen source.

The three companions gasped as small army of pantheons came from each of the two sides of the road, effectively blocking all escape routes.

"Damn", muttered Milan, as he reached for his buster, fully aware of the futility of the action. Nobody has ever escaped from an army of X-droids before.

A disturbing laughter echoed from behind the droids, that opened a path for their leader. At first, Ciel thought that was a good thing. A sentient enemy could always be manipulated, however powerful, as she had done with Harpuia. Her hopes of escaping dropped to nil when she saw the owner of the voice. Her tone was one of cold sharpness. "Hyeron", she said, practically spiting the name.

The commander laughed some more. "Oh, my. If it isn't former councilor Ciel."

Milan turned to Ciel questioningly. "You know that guy?"

"Yes, I had the misfortune to meet him when I was in the council. He was a high ranking officer, but got corrupted and then almost Maverick. He would cause pain to reploids and humans just for fun."

Hyeron's face became a mask of anger. "It is because of you, bitch, that I was demoted and thrown in this ugly hole. I'm currently debating of arresting you and getting a promotion along with you bounty or killing you on the spot", he shouted.

"But first, I'm going to have some fun with those two friends of yours and a certain pest I found", he said, revealing an energy cage with a dancing light inside.

"Passy!", screamed Ciel.

Hyeron laughed again, but stopped abruptly when a small cloaked figure dropped from one of the buildings.

"Who the hell are you?", he demanded.

"Oh, just a simple reploid that happened to pass by and got distracted by a particularly ugly scene", answered the figure calmly.

Hyeron chuckled. "Another fool it seems. No matter, the more the merrier." The commander motioned to three X-droids to attack the new opponent, while smiling like crazy all the time.

Ciel turned to the stranger. "Why are you doing that? You will get killed!", she shouted desperately.

"Hardly." Before the guardian pantheons could place any of their plasma clubs anywhere near his body, his cloak opened for a fragment of a second and a shinning blue flash almost became visible, before disappearing again inside the garment. The three drones stopped moving and stood very still. Before Hyeron could repeat the order, the mindless soldiers collapsed on the ground, severed cleanly in half. As everybody turned to regard the still concealed figure, a cacophony of blasts came from behind Ciel. The team of X-droids that blocked the road was swiftly reduced to a charred and still smoking scrap heap. From inside the mess, came a heavily armored reploid, his deep emerald armor glistering from the inferno around him. His six plasma cannons, one on each shoulder, one in each hand, one on each hip, where charged and already smocking.

"Me and my brother have a slight problem with you, Hyeron. We don't like you."

The first reploid removed his cloak to reveal a deep violet armor, lighter than his brother's, but still adequate. He was grasping a long silver staff with a blue energy sickle blade at the top that instantly came to life.

"Now, you still have one chance left. You can either turn around, run away and forget about just everything that happened today...", said the violet reploid.

"...or you can give us the pleasure of retiring the casual scumbag that is your sorry self", added the emerald one.

Hyeron was a reploid of many flaws and pride was one of the most dominant ones. Fuming with anger, he ordered the rest of the pantheons, about thirty of them, to fire at will, thinking nobody could overpower such an overkill. Ciel , Milan and Colbor attempted to run to the sides out of pure instinct, to what would have been their demise. As the emerald reploid stopped them gently, his large frame overpowering all three of them, the violet one retreated his sickle, turned the butt of the weapon towards the impending hail of plasma shots and let his blue shield to extend. The shots hit the barrier and were unceremoniously absorbed, as the emerald reploid stepped right behind his brother at fired all six cannons on the opposite side of the shield.

Hyeron scurried away to avoid the ensuing salvo of great plasma rings that decimated all of the pantheons in one fell swoop. The commander tried to get away, but the small-framed reploid dashed behind him at top speed, leaped high and landed in front of the now-not-so-cocky interloper. Without many options left, Hyeron extended his plasma claws and rushed on the smaller opponent, meaning to unbalance him enough to escape. The first sickle swipe severed his arms, the second, following in a lightning blur, his legs and the third decapitated him. The late commander was dead before he hit the ground.

Ciel tried to speak, but all that left her mouth was an incoherent stream of unfinished questions. "Who? ..How?...What?..."

The violet reploid soon joined his brother and smiled at the stunned girl, as both of them retrieved their discarded cloaks.

Ciel finally managed to calm down. "We own you so much, gentlemen. Is there any way to thank you?"

The violet reploid summarily dismissed the notion. "We only did our duty, miss. There is no need for thanks. My name is Tone, by the way, and this is my brother, Pulse."

The emerald reploid bowed curtly, but remained silent.

"I believe this belongs to you", continued Tone, producing a forcecage and shattering it, revealing a very agitated cyber-elf.

"About time you remembered about me, short guy", said the cyber-elf, leaving the cage's remains and flying close to Ciel.

"Passy! You should be more polite! They just saved us."

"Whatever..."

Ciel turned to the two brothers. "Sorry about that. My name is Ciel and these are my friends, Milan and Colbor." The two, still nervous reploids just nodded.

Tone's eyes went wide. "The leader of the Resistance! What a twist of fate. It was a good thing we happened to be here."

Pulse spoke to Ciel for the first time. "Actually, we are looking for a... friend of ours. He was supposed to be waiting us at that restaurant, but he was lucky to get away. He was wearing a cloak like ours and he occasionally stutters when nervous, effectively most of the time."

"Though he is quite large, he is not a warrior but a researcher. We are worried about him, have you seen him?"

Ciel gasped. "You know him? He escaped the building with us, but then we got separated. We actually wanted to talk to him."

Tone glanced Ciel curiously. "Talk to him? About what?"

"We want to know where the legendary Zero sleeps." Her face fell to the ground. "We are not faring well and we are in desperate need of support."

Both brothers sighed in unison. "We know where he is, but he must not be awakened. The time has not yet come", said Pulse.

Ciel's eyes went wide. "You have seen him? Does he really exist?"

Tone chuckled. "We had actually quite an adventure along with him. I bet he would strangle us if he knew we let him to sleep while the world needs him so much. But it can't be helped."

Ciel was desperate. "Please tell me. I need to know."

Tone shook his head. "We have said too much already. He wouldn't be much of a help to you now, anyway. I wish we could stay and help, but our... employer is quite paranoid and insists we lay low."

"That's right", sighed Pulse. "We wouldn't stand any chance against that copy of X, anyway."

Ciel was now shocked. "You know about that, too? How?"

"Unfortunately we have overstayed our welcome. We need to get our friend and get out before what happened here leaks."

The two brothers got out of sight before Ciel could even think a proper response, leaving the trio alone, among the surrounding scene of total carnage.

"Well, I think we should be getting out of here, too", said Milan at long last.

* * *

The tall and bulky, cloaked figure entered an alley, running awkwardly and found a dead-end. In an attempt to better conceal himself, he opened a nearby door and crept into a deserted and rundown garage. The darkness inside was occasionally disrupted by the sunlight that found its way through the numerous holes of the ceiling.

A voice came from the cloak. "I think we will be safe here."

A second, different voice answered. "Yes, but I feel sorry for Dr. Ciel. Did they make it?"

The first voice, started a response, that turned into a gasp when eight pantheons rushed in the garage, their weapons trained on the cloak. The stranger collapsed and braced himself for the impending onslaught. Instead of a multitude of shots, a blinding flash dominated the room and all X-droids fell to the floor, totally deactivated. As the stranger turned very slowly, a flying light appeared before him.

"Alright, you are quite safe right now, but the masquerade is over. I don't want to force you, but I desperately need and demand answers. So both of you come out of this ridiculous outfit and start talking."

The cloak opened and two tiny reploids came out, staring with awe at the dancing light before them. One of them managed to speak. "W...who are you and what d...do you want from us?"

The shinning light changed into a hologram, depicting a reploid clad in blue robes and featuring a shinning halo above his head. "I used to be X, the real X. Now I'm just a cyber-elf", he sighed.

The two reploids gasped and turned to regard the fallen pantheons once more. X continued, knowing he would have their attention back immediately, anyway. "I know you know about Zero. You admitted as much to Ciel. I need to know everything about him. He is currently my only hope. Our only hope."

"B...but the time i...is not right. He..."

X was angry, despite himself. "If I don't do something now, the time will never come! Can't you see that that despicable copy of mine becomes more and more unstable? Zero is the only one who can put an end to that genocide. Nothing guarantees me he won't turn against humans, too. " X calmed down a bit and then continued. "First of all, I would hear your names and then why Zero must still remain in hibernation. Most importantly, I need to know where he is."

"I...I'm Font a...and this is my b...brother Case. W...we helped sealing Z...zero. W...we assist doctor Light."

* * *

Ciel, along with her two companions, materialized on the Resistance base's transerver, then rushed to the control panel and randomized the coordinates, erasing their trails.

Before she could utter a word, the door snapped open to reveal several buster rifles trained on the trio.

"Who's there?", boomed a dominating voice.

Ciel smiled at Cerveau's attempt to sound imposing. "It's us, everybody, calm down."

The engineer let out a sigh in relief. "How did it go?", he asked expectantly.

Ciel's face dropped downwards in resignation. "Unfortunately, we...". She stopped talking, as she noticed a light flashing on the supposedly deactivated visor that always laid on her forehead. She lowered it on her eyes in an instant and gasped at the displayed message:

_These are the coordinates of Zero's resting place. It is visually concealed and you can't teleport there directly. If you attempt to awaken him, use extreme caution. Neo-Arcadia is hunting you down more and more fiercely. I really wish you good luck for everybody's sake. _

Cerveau and everybody else looked at Ciel worriedly. "Is everything okay?"

"We somehow succeeded", she managed to whisper.

X, concealing his form, watched the girl he had virtually brought up to coordinate everybody like a true leader. The blue bomber smiled, despite himself.

_Don't blame yourself, Ciel. It was merely an unfortunate accident and you have already strove hard to correct it. I believe in you Ciel, but you will have to make many more sacrifices before this is over. If what those two said is not off the mark, you will need Passy's powers. Forgive me for using you like that...

* * *

_

Harpuia was standing inside the command center, his face grim, and regarded the data yet again.

_I can't judge if what we do is wrong, but I was never really given a choice. I...I must remain loyal to master X._

His train of thought was interrupted by two really loud voices coming from behind one of the chamber's doors.

"Are you a complete idiot!"

"I didn't do that on purpose, I said."

"Why did I even bother asking, anyway?"

"It was an accident!"

"Yeah, burning a door down and stumbling inside a lady's room like that... You phased in that giant buster of yours accidentally?"

"There was a fly on the door! A large stinkin' fly!"

"Well, next time use artillery, Fefnir. You might even kill it if you do so!"

"Aw, shut up..."

Both guardians stopped shouting when they sensed a killing intent focused on them.

"Hi, Sage...Everything alright?", asked Leviathan sheepishly.

The jade guardian was still staring at his two companions ominously. "I don't even want to know", he sighed at long last.

Fefnir attempted to change the subject. "Where is Phantom, by the way?"

Harpuia shook his head. "He is out on a mission. He won't be back for the rest of the week." He turned to the screen. "More importantly, we have some interesting information. One of the few ancient satellites still online has indicated a large Resistance movement at an unlikely area." He indicated a large green portion on a map and a flashing light.

Fefnir gasped. "I have been there once. There is nothing out there."

"What is more, our standard radars also see nothing there. Not even a single reploid signal. We should be able to see them like a flare in such a low activity area. I don't know how much we can trust this source, but... "

Leviathan interrupted him. "Wait a minute. Isn't that a bionic forest?"

Fefnir nodded. "Yeah, that's right. All trees are semi-mechanical."

"Don't you see it, then?", asked the blue guardian. "Such forests are supposed to give a gigantic energy signature, yet we see nothing!"

"A giant cloaking field", whispered Harpuia.

Leviathan went to a terminal and typed furiously for some seconds. She then turned to the others smiling. "And a shielding field as well. To teleport in or out, you need a password a thousand digits long. Whatever they keep in there, it must be powerful."

"We can't let the Resistance have it", growled Fefnir.

The green guardian sighed. "Indeed. Fefnir, you are in charge of this operation. You will have to use mainly non-sentient army units because we need the rest to guard the city. The mechaniloid attacks might have waned but we can't leave our guard down and master X is a bit unwilling to fight, except in case of emergencies."

Fefnir reacted like a kid getting a new present. "Wow, thanks Sage! Can I take some of the new golems, too? I want to see them in action!"

Harpuia looked at him incredulously. "They are a small, ragtag band, Fefnir. One golem could level their entire base. There is no need for such measures."

"Aw, come on, Sage. Please. Only three. I won't blow them up! I swear."

Harpuia almost chucked despite his mood. "I would like to see you **try **to blow them up. They are almost invincible. Okay then. But only three."

That was all the fiery guardian needed to hear. As he bolted through the door, that fortunately opened in time, Leviathan turned to Harpuia.

"Setting Fefnir in charge?", she whispered.

The wind general dismissed her worries. "Fefnir might not be the brightest commander, but he surely understands battle. They don't stand a chance."

"Still, what if Ciel is with them?"

The sky lord sighed. "In such a case, I will just order him to stay far away from them and only send the pantheons in. Knowing Ciel, she would even force him to aid the Resistance."

Leviathan couldn't help but chuckle at the notion, but Harpuia could not share her mirth. Self-doubt was slowly eating him from inside.

* * *

The existence of bionic forests was one of the main reasons the planet could still support life. These forests were in essence a semi-sentient, semi-alive network of flora, circuits and programming. Many had suggested using these forests as an energy source, but the leadership of Neo-Arcadia, be it the original X, the guardians or even Copy X were adamant. Since nobody could understand how exactly the whole system worked, there was no sense in endangering its balance.

This particular forest seemed to be one of the oldest, the dense vegetation hindering the progress of the military team. No Resistance reploid had accepted to let Ciel go alone into a trans-shielded area, even though she insisted that Neo-Arcadia's soldiers would never actually kill her even if she was captured. At the end, a small team of twenty reploids was assembled to protect the young scientist, all bearing blasters and ready to defend their savior with their lives. After they all teleported at the outskirts of the forest and the shield that encompassed it, that started the long trek, their only guide being the coordinates Ciel had mysteriously found.

"How long do you think it will take us, Ciel?"

The pink-clad scientist tuned and smiled at Milan, one of the few people she really regarded as close friends. "We have already been walking for two days. If this forest doesn't become thicker, we should reach the place some time around the second day's noon."

"Two days", sighed Milan. "I hope nothing happens while we are away. I know some dorks back at the base who tend to stick their heads into trouble all the time."

"Don't be too harsh with them, Milan. Most of them have lost everything. I believe Cerveau will be doing a great job, anyway."

Milan chuckled. "Indeed, Cerveau is quite capable, but without you, he would be still polishing the guardian's weapons."

Ciel's face fell to the ground and she sighed heavily.

The black-haired reploid slapped a hand on his forehead. "Damn, I'm sorry about that, Ciel. I forgot they were your family."

Ciel smiled faintly. "Don't apologize, Milan. The guardians are not really evil, just misleaded, but this is no excuse for what they do. Without every single one of you, I could have done nothing. The only thing I now wish for is peace."

"Don't worry, Ciel. Everybody believes in you. We will find Zero and he will buy you time to develop your energy source. Then everything will be fine."

Ciel shook her head. "I hope it turns out like that, but what if Zero won't help us?"

Milan regarded Ciel seriously. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't he?"

"It's not so simple, Milan. Think about it. Those reploids we met, they said the time has not yet come. We really have no right to ask for his help, either. You know history. He has saved this world multiple times. Will he be willing to help us when we have been labeled Mavericks?"

Milan patted his rifle. "Well, he better be, or I'll crack his skull for sure."

Ciel was actually smiling now. "Milan!", she shouted in mock anger.

"Okay, okay, it was a joke. If he is anything close to those brothers we met at Neo-Silvar, it's not I would stand a chance anyway."

The following chuckles were abruptly cut, buy a shout from one of the other soldier.

"Heads up! Neo-Arcadian transport."

Higher above them, Fefnir watched the small band through his room-wide screen.

"Harpuia, do you read me?"

"_...barely...transmission...due...shield_."

"I found them. I repeat, I found them. Ciel is with them."

"_...work, Fefnir. ...only non-sentient...capture her...don't ...yourself._"

"Aw, why not? I could use some action, even if they are trash. I haven't had a decent fight for years."

The voice on the comm. sounded different now. _"...orders... idiot...her puppet...imbecile!" _

"Shut up, Fairy. Ok, I got it, I'll stay back! Stop nagging."

"_..had better...jerk...Leviathan out!_"

"Jeez, she can be such a bitch some times...". Fefnir turned to the navigators. "You heard them. Only non-sentient units." His eyes gleamed. "And send the golems too. Those little terrorists will get what they deserve. Only one thing. If Ciel gets harmed, you will regret the day you were activated, am I clear?"

The poor navigators gulped and nodded frantically. "Units 15-17 dispatched, sir."

"Sorry to spoil your excursion, girl, but you are the bad guys now", he muttered.

* * *

"Are you alright, Ciel? Can you go on?"

The young scientist was out of breath but wouldn't stop running. She fully understood that if she did, everybody else would die. She nodded, her lunges too preoccupied to help her utter a single word.

"Damn, we have been running away for more than a day and a night and they are still behind us." Milan regarded Ciel again, then turned to the rest of the band. Some of the lesser models were in worse shape than the blonde girl.

"We can't go on like that. We need another break."

Ciel managed to speak. "I'm fine. I can continue."

"Barely and others cannot", he said pointing behind them. "Were is Passy, her help has been invaluable."

As on cue, the Cyber-elf flied down to them. "You can stop for a while. The freaky blue soldiers that were close to us are broken."

Everybody stopped and tried to recover from the long run, while looking at the elf questioningly.

"What do you mean broken, Passy?", asked Ciel, panting.

"They are down, fifty of them. No damage outside, but their insides are roasted."

Milan regarded Ciel. "A series malfunctioning?"

Ciel shook her head. "No, that can't be. They place pantheons with close serial numbers into different units to avoid just that. I have no idea what that could mean."

Milan sighed. "At least we can rest for a while. It can't be far now."

Ciel nodded. "We are close. That hunt actually made us approach faster."

Sitting on a branch of a tree and hiding behind some leaves, X sighed exhausted.

_Damn, I could use a break too. Sorry, Ciel, but this is all the help I can give for now._

X's eyes went wide as a thought crash-landed in his mind. _Damnation! If Zero is in such a bad shape as those two implied, he will definitely need his saber. I'm such an idiot, I can't teleport from here._

Ignoring his low energy levels, X flew at top speed towards Neo-Arcadia, ghosting through any and all obstacles. He rushed to where his body lied, to the highest security chamber of the metropolis.

Bypassing the shields like they were nothing, X reached the Z-saber, easily lifting it despite his size. Passing through the shields once again, he teleported to the nearest trans-server, momentarily stunned the operators present, rigged for the next logs to be deleted instead of saved to cover his presence, then transed back to the outskirts of the forest. Moving around while holding the weapon was a much more difficult task, since he now had to go around the obstacles and didn't want to fly above the forest, were he would have to cloak his presence.

_Hang on Zero. Hang on Ciel. I won't let you down this time. God, please help me to reach them in time.

* * *

_

"Where are the others?", asked Ciel frantically as she and two reploids beside her continued to run.

Milan sighed. He had glimpsed at the golems and had an idea where the rest of the band was.

_I failed them, Ciel. They are dead. But I won't fail you. You saved me and gave me a reason to exist. Nobody has ever done anything close to that for me. Ever. I will see this mission through, even if it costs my life_.

"They are holding them back, Ciel. Just keep running, they will be fine"

Ciel almost stopped, but Milan caught her hand and motioned her to move. The other remaining soldier followed them, his face grim but equally determined.

Passy leading the way, they reached the end of the road. A huge chasm laid before them, the barely visible jagged rocks at the bottom mocking them.

Milan could not utter a word, while the other reploid swore a profane curse. Ciel looked at Passy questioningly. "Is there another way?"

Passy moved just above the chasm, let out a high-pitched scream and disappeared from sight.

"Passy! Where are you?"

A second later, the cyber-elf reappeared. "It's an illusion, Ciel. One so good it tricked all of my senses. There is only solid ground ahead."

The small team, hearing the approaching mindless footsoldiers and not really having much of a choice, boldly walked through the veil of light, only to find themselves inside a groove. Ahead they could see a huge ancient building, almost completely covered with many types of flora. An unyielding wall stood before them, etched with bizarre looking runes.

Ciel reached for the wall instinctively, almost as if expecting it to reveal a door. "Is this a dead-end. How do we get in?"

"This is definitely the place, Ciel. Even with the jamming fields in place, I can sense a great energy source", said Passy. The cyber-elf attempted to ghost through the wall, but could not penetrate at all. "We have to open a hole."

"Leave that to us", responded the soldier, as he and Milan reached for the explosives that rested on their hip. "Can you estimate how much we will need?"

Ciel moved her visor down and, with Passy's help, she scanned the fortified wall. "Three full-powered charges, Milan. Make them four in case there is an invisible underlay behind."

Milan let out a whistle. "Wow, this is some seriously resilient barrier. Stand back, everybody, this is going to be loud."

The explosion rocked the whole forest, threatening to make them lose their balance. The wall seemed to last, but then cracked and slowly collapsed. As they made their way through the new door, they gawked at what they saw. The obstacle they have blasted was a door of some kind. The actual walls were three times thicker. Ciel was astonished to see there was still energy running in this place. Some light bulbs on the walls and ceiling still worked, though the passage of time had taken its toll. Some of the inner walls were crumbling and discarded pieces of alien machinery laid everywhere.

"Where do we go now?" Asked Milan.

"Down", answered Passy. "Can't tell how much, but it should take long."

The other reploid now screamed. "They heard the explosion and passed the illusion. Hurry up, they are coming."

As on cue, three X-droids rushed in, plasma clubs ready. "Aim for the roof", shouted Milan. He and the other reploid turned their buster rifles at a slab on the ceiling that was barely staying in place, while Ciel upholstered her tiny weapon and, along with the cyber-elf, kept the pantheon guardians occupied. The boulder dislodged and crushed the mindless drones, temporary sealing the entrance in the process.

"This will buy us some time", shouted Milan. "Let's get moving."

They found the stairs leading down, Ciel hacking any working locks and jamming them as they passed, the reploids blasting open the rest. Down and down they went, realizing the complex was huge beyond belief. In other circumstances, Ciel would have wanted to study every single piece of unknown machinery they encountered, thrilled by their potential. Now, however, as the blasting sounds that indicated their pursuers were actually gaining ground, being heard closer and closer, the only thing in everyone's mind was survival and the goal that laid before them.

Hours later, they still continued descending down into the bowels of the earth, having lost count of the floors they passed. Along the way, they found numerous elevators that actually worked, sending them deeper and deeper, always deeper. The stale air only magnified the morbid feeling of millions of tones of matter that loomed above them, threatening to bury them alive at any second. Ciel had to mentally order herself not to scream due to the suffocating feeling, the eerie silence that reminded one of a tomb that was only occasionally shattered by the echoing explosions behind them.

At long last they reached a yet more heavily fortified door. Ciel tried to hack it open, but found in astonishment she could not. After a while longer she sighed, replaced her visor above her eyes and turned to her companions. "This is the last door. How many charges do we have left?"

Milan and the other reploid consulted for a second and then the black-haired reploid responded. "Fifteen charges left, Ciel. How many should we use?"

Ciel regarded the door again, then the surrounding space, checking its endurance. "Use them all, Milan. They will barely be enough", she finally sighed.

Both Milan and the other reploid gasped, but then complied under the sound of the rapidly approaching foes. They set all remaining charges, then scurried away, running back several rooms. Second later, a blinding flash descended upon them and, following fragments of a second later, the sound wave reached them. The sheer power of the blast threw them back, cracking all obstacles around its center and momentarily deafening them. As they regained use of their feet and the smoke and dust subsided, they ran back at the detonation point.

There was not even a scratch on the door.

"I...impossible", uttered Ciel.

Milan shook his head. "That can't be. I must be dreaming. This is unreal."

Passy, overwhelmed by the unfruitful result, flew towards the wall with all her might, attempting to somehow penetrate the shielding material. And passed right through it, as if it didn't existed.

As everybody else gasped, Passy's voice sounded above everything else. "Another illusion, just move forward."

As the group complied, they saw what was really going on. The real door behind the wall of light was actually blasted during the explosion, if only barely. But as a last protection to the core of the huge compound, a hidden hologram mechanism was triggered to show the door was unharmed.

Mian, Ciel and Passy entered the chamber, as the other reploid stayed behind to guard the entrance. The room has obviously seen better days. Only few light sources graced it with their light and the floor was flooded at ankle's height with brown, stale water. In the middle was what seemed to be an old hibernation capsule, now open like a gutted animal to reveal its contents. A humanoid form laid inside, a seemingly heavily damaged reploid, his hands incomplete, his armor scarce, his long blonde ponytail dampened by the water. A great variety of life-supporting machinery was attached on his back, directly connected with his spine.

"This...must be Zero", muttered Ciel, not quite sure what she was supposed to do. _I don't get it. He seems heavily damaged, but that is not the case. I can detect no visible injuries. It is as he was being dismantled... Or assembled? _

"We found him at last", sighed Milan, relieved but equally perplexed. Not one to avoid actions, he boldly walked forward towards the kneeled figure. And was promptly thrown several meters back, hit by some invisible forcefield that sparkled into action.

Ciel rushed by him immediately. "Are you alright, Milan?", she asked frantically.

The black-haired reploid stood to his feet gingerly and held his head. "I'll live", he managed to answer.

Passy circled the general area of the forcefield, examining its energy signature. "It is well protected. I might be able to phase through it, but I can't shut it down."

Milan tried vainly to conjure an idea, scratching his head all the while. His train of thought was interrupted by a scream from behind. The other reploid had just been gunned down by three pantheon hunters that had somehow stumbled through the illusionary door.

Milan uttered a curse, then his eyes went wide as he jumped in front of Ciel to receive a stray plasma shot that would have incinerated the young scientist.

"We are cornered, we have to evacuate now!", he shouted, as he dragged Ciel towards the back of the room to gain some time.

_We can't Milan. We can't teleport out. We don't have the password. _Despite Ciel's mind shrieking at her, she only managed to phrase a meek response. "But..."

"We have no time to argue!", shouted Milan, obviously panicked. Another plasma shot, this time aimed to kill him, landed on his back, sending him on the floor never to rise again, circuitry and biological parts exposed, artificial blood splaying around.

_I'm sorry, Ciel. I failed you at the end. Run away, please. Thank you for...everyth..._

Ciel fell to her knees, ignoring the dirty water and screaming her late companion's name. She stood there sobbing, while the three hunters crept forward, their directives to capture the human unharmed.

Passy tried to arouse the now catatonic Ciel, screaming her name multiple times to get her attention. Still sobbing, the young scientist turned to regard the only survivor of the expedition.

"You should use my power, Ciel. You have no choice. Please!"

Ciel's eyes went wide at the request. Having studied cyber-elves thoroughly, she knew exactly what that would result. "What! Passy, if I do that, then you will..."

"I never told you Ciel. The reason X entrusted me to you was to avoid my power used for evil. You never thought to analyze me. I can reconstruct a damaged reploid using its DNA data. Don't worry about me. Remember, you can't afford to give up. Everybody trusts and loves you. They all await you back. You must return safely."

Ciel stood stunned for some seconds, then acknowledged the cyber-elf's cynical but correct reasoning. "Okay, Passy", she sighed. "I'm so sorry about that. Thank you for everything."

Passy shook her head. "No, I should thank you, Ciel. You treated me as a real friend, while everybody else shunned me because I'm only a cyber-elf. I'm grateful for that and have no regrets. Good-bye."

The cyber-elf flew forward like an arrow made of pure light, right towards the heart of the incapacitated crimson hunter, bypassing the field, Ciel faltering at the last moment and frantically screaming her name.

The whole world became a realm of pure light, then a figure walked forward, scarlet, black and white armor shinning, blue orb on forehead pulsing with life and azure eyes scanning his surroundings.

* * *

Hahaha. I told you I will awaken him, but nothing more;-D. I hope you liked that last scene...

If you think they went far too low to find Zero, think again. In MMZ3, while you fight Omega's second form, you are falling during the battle and reach this place afterwards. I tried to win him as fast as possible. Took me 80sec, but I guess somebody else could do it at 60sec. With rudimentary knowledge of physics, we reach a whooping 18 km fall. Everest is 8 km high though...Magma anybody? Not to mention that the place collapsed when you defeated that blasted elephant boss. I can picture Weil's numbers cleaning the mess to prepare a suitable arena:-) That's a plothole 18km deep...

Sorry about the many cloaks by the way. Since I saw Bass at MMBN and Zero at MMZ2, I'm obsessed...

**To MyGBAcanTalk: **I hope I can continue to be creative... Crack is bad, though. Whiskey, cola, coffee and strong wine together are better. Just don't try this at home...

**To DorkLotus: **I didn't forget my brother OCs, though them and Axl won't be as active as for example Zero or the guardians... I will continue to include them though. I have plans... Thanks for reviewing...

**To ... ... : **Nobody will guess what I have in stock for the "real" Copy X. Ah, the infamous "toriou" attack. I defeated him with only the boomerang shield yesterday just for the heck of it and remembered how much a pain that attack is...

**To PhiloWorm: **Welcome! I hope this is fast enough for you;-)

**To MAD-MAN: **This is a huge subject and I will say only what I believe. I learned from the X manga that "Megaman" aka "Rockman" indicates a warrior of infinite potential, be it robot, reploid, navi, artificial human or whatever. X and Zero are reploids, but also "Rockmen". That is the part that Axl cannot copy, which causes problems. Axl's copy chip emulates the "Rockman" effect, but only up to a certain power level. Copy X and the guardians are made out of X's DNA, but without the "Rockman" factor, which was never analyzed. As such, they are casual reploids, formidable and with great potential for improvement, but not infinite.

**To Demented-Demon: **Yes I thought I wrote Ciel quite off character, but then I saw the RMZ manga at ciel-network (dot) com. She wields a buster twice as large as Zero's there... Damn, I must learn Japanese... That would be the actual Copy X Ciel intended to build if Elpizo hadn't screwed up with the Sigma parts... Btw, what are YOU doing? Even if that story of yours is over, you should start a new one! I need inspiration here, everyone!

**To Myhi**: Thanks for the devotion vote! You won't be seeing Sigma any time soon, though that may change in the future...far future... What do you mean, if you ever post? You will definitely post if even only the first chapter is ready. This is an order:-) Just forget about that silly cookies joke. It has grown stale. The cookies too:-). They were supposed to be the "grant prize"... Oh, I know the wrath of librarians all too well. And most of them hardly read anything, isn't that ridiculous...

**To zidet: **Don't worry, I didn't want to be harsh but... UPDATE. Anything! ;-D. Well, that is as an active role as I can give to X in his... state.

**To Shadow Enigma:** Indeed die Elpizo! And I have to somehow make him commander, too... Btw, to everybody else: Read Shadow Enigma's story! A unique approach to the MMX world! Well-written too. Why am I the only one reviewing? You must update!

That's all folks. Till next time, and do check the 3cha megaman spamfic I uploaded. It's random, but yay!


	10. Crimson awakening

Well, we have reached a landmark here, I believe. I finally entered MMZ1's storyline. I want to thank all reviewers for the support. Without you I wouldn't have written past chapter 2... Things are getting a bit more difficult now... I want to follow the actual story, but I have to make it interesting, too.

* * *

Chapter 10: Crimson awakening

#Unit Zero MK2 on line...

#Initiating data log No 1. Warning: Long term memory locked, this log will remain hidden.

#System check: Error: synchronization between control circuit and rest body at 6 percent due to memory lock. Performance will be compromised accordingly.

Relative potential body power level: infinite.

Relative possible body power level: 100K

Synchronization percentage: 6

Relative power level: 6K

#Left arm: online.

Integrated left arm cannon: incomplete. Status: offline.

#Right arm: online.

Integrated right arm cannon: incomplete. Status: offline.

#Left leg: online.

Integrated left speed booster: incomplete. Status: 20 percent efficiency.

#Right leg: online.

Integrated right speed booster: incomplete. Status: 20 percent efficiency.

#Head: online.

Long term memory locked. Status: complete.

#Torso: online.

Vital functions: online at full efficiency.

Combat functions: online at 40 percent. Incomplete.

Special functions: online at 20 percent. Incomplete.

#Armor: online.

External completion: full.

Internal completion: 50 percent.

Phasing system: online

Warning: defensive ability severely compromised.

#Weaponry:

Z-saber: Missing.

External Z-buster: online. Efficiency compromised due to absence of Z-saber.

Hand synapses online.

#Event: Copy, upgrade and integration chip detected unknown factors:

Active repairing nanomachines. Integration time: unknown.

Unique cyber-elf program. Integration and recreating time: unknown.

Dark energy imprint. Integration and control time: unknown.

#Event: Repair systems at 30 percent efficiency. Completion of Unit Zero MK2 initiated. Time left: unknown.

#End log.

* * *

The crimson reploid blinked a few times, as if to clear his eyes, then scanned his surroundings. He first saw the now discarded machinery that was once sustaining him to life. Then, as he glanced higher, he witnessed the damaged beyond repair body of a green-clad reploid with black hair. After that, he focused on the three blue mindless drones that were trying to determine if that new presence was an enemy. Lastly, his eyes fell on the pink-clad human beside him, barely a woman, her eyes watery and filled with awe and grief, pleading him. He tried hard to think, to recall who he was, but only received an incoherent jumble of messed images and error messages.

Ciel's thoughts slipped through her mouth. "Zero...has been resurrected..."

If the scarlet reploid had heard her, he gave no response. _Where am I? More importantly, who am I? Damn, why can't I remember? I know I'm a reploid. And that girl is a human. Well, that's a start! She seems to be distressed, though. And those blue dummies don't seem too friendly. She is hunted. I may remember nothing, but I sure as hell know which side to choose for now..._

"Zero?" _Can he really hear me? _"Help me. Please."

The red hunter turned to regard her fully, his face emotionless. Without a word or even a nod, he faced the drones again. The pantheon hunters seemed to have decided that the new reploid was a threat. A triple energy shot, similar to the one that had killed Milan, collided on Zero's chest, who was still too dazed to dodge. Ciel gasped, expecting to see her new ally grievously injured. Instead, the crimson reploid just winced a little, taking a step back, the attack leaving a tiny scorch on his chest armor.

Zero's left hand instinctively rose to his back, trying to grip something that wasn't there, clasping air instead. As Ciel looked at him questioningly, he scanned his body and his eyes stopped at his hips. On each side, a white holster was attached. One of them was empty, whatever weapon fitting there now lost. The other contained a medium buster gun, its design completely foreign to Ciel. The crimson hunter upholstered the weapon, then almost gasped as he felt the invisible synapses of his hand establishing a link. The weapon now resembled a part of his body.

Pulling the trigger came to him naturally, a simple shot coming out and hitting the first X-droid right in the middle of its single red optic sensor. As the blue droid staggered backwards, its eye flickering, Zero's free hand shot forward and landed a powerful punch, completely shattering the device and throwing the enemy backwards quite deactivated. As the second pantheon raised its weapon arm, Zero grabbed the appendage, pushing it far to the side and jabbed his buster on the droid's energy core, cracking the flimsy armor and pulling the trigger at the same time. He barely managed to haul it away before it could explode, filling the area with smoke. As the third enemy tried to pry the veil of fumes, a rapid kick dislodged its head, bending its neck at an awkward angle, and another buster shot finished the deed.

Ciel was clearly stupefied, just staring at her new ally. _He just defeated three pantheon hunters alone within a few seconds. And a shot that would have killed an average reploid, barely scratched him. Is this Zero's power?_

Zero regarded his buster curiously, turned for a second to check his companion was safe and then walked forward, Ciel having no other choice than to follow him.

_Fighting came to me so naturally, as if I have been doing that forever. Is this my function? A sentient weapon? Heck, no time to think. When we get out of this dungeon, there is much I need to learn..._

The human and the reploid hurried forward, encountering no resistance for a while. Reaching a sealed door, Ciel walked forth and started placing her trusted visor on her eyes. She was cut short, as the crimson hunter's hand shot forward, punching at the portal once and leaving a huge dent. Three seconds and two punches later, they walked through the gaping hole that was once the door, Zero equally indifferent, Ciel lost in thought and having trouble to believe what she was beholding.

_He must be as strong as Fefnir, or even more. Rest in peace, Milan, Passy and everybody else. You have done well... But you shouldn't have died. Not before peace came. So unfair..._

As she tried to pass through an open doorframe, a firm but gentle hand grabbed her shoulder. She avoided screaming at the last second, then turned to regard Zero. The scarlet reploid signaled her to stay still and be quiet. She complied and wondered what was wrong. The red hunter closed his eyes for a moment, as if reaching down to his self, then disappeared. Ciel blinked once and then a strong gust of air caused her to lose her balance and nearly stumble. She realized with awe what had just happened. Zero had used his speed boosters, dashing in the next room faster than her eyes could register. A second later, she heard a repeating slew of energy discharges and small explosions, then silence. After a while she mustered the courage to peek through the door. The room ahead was filled with the remains of dozens of small warbots, resembling insects. She knew that model all to well. Alone they were considered a small threat, but when in large numbers, they were formidable opponents, their speed and collective firepower overwhelming. In the middle of the junkyard, stood Zero, energy fluids covering his knuckles. Ciel saw him clasping his head and she was afraid he was wounded, but when she got closer, she noticed no sign of injury. Her respect, hope and awe growing by the second, the blond scientist followed her new companion as he resumed his march.

_He is fast, far faster than Fefnir, perhaps close to Sage. But he is still hardly a match for Copy X. Is it even possible for him to become stronger?_

Ciel suddenly felt her feet unable to move. She looked down to see a large slob of silky sticky substance covering her legs. Zero noticed immediately and backed off, getting close to her and frantically scanning his surroundings. As he regarded the dark shadows of the ceiling, he saw a quick flash. Ciel saw it too.

"An energy shot! Be careful!"

Surely enough, the shot came fragments of a second later, hitting the red hunter and causing him to flinch but otherwise hold his position. He pointed his buster to the general area where the source of the fire was and sent a rapid string of energy shots. Soft furious clinking came from the spot and a second crackling shot descended upon the crimson armored reploid.

_Why is he not dodging. I'm sure he can dodge easily, _she thought while trying vainly to free herself from the bondage.

The enemy finally came to light, Ciel mentally slapping herself for not realizing it before. A spider mechaniloid, mainly used for reconnaissance and hunting missions, featuring an advanced dodging AI and a decently strong beam cannon, as well as this web-like restraining substance. She should have known; She had designed it herself.

Zero tried to shoot it down, carefully aiming and actually scoring a glancing hit, but the spider was too agile to be fazed. A third shot hit him, this time drawing a groan. Ciel remembered with horror part of the spider's programming. It would constantly aim at the same point of its opponents. And then it hit her. The walls in the room retained a reflective layer, one bound to cause energy shots to ricochet. In addition, if Zero ever dodged a single shot, it would surely hit her.

_Even if he moved away, the shots would reach me indirectly from the walls. Damn, he takes all those hits because of me... I'm worthless..._

As the ensuing battle demanded her attention, she watched Zero momentarily ducking and picking up a long steel pipe that laid discarded on the floor. The pink-clad scientist watched in pure wonder and then amazement, as Zero fired three shots rapidly, aiming around the mechaniloid instead of on it. The mindless machine, its program directives wrestling inside its CPU, was momentarily stunned. The pipe left the hunter's hand as an arrow from hell and skewed the confused spider right in the middle, impaling it on the wall. The bot's legs squirmed for some seconds, then the mechanical carcass remained still, obviously quite dead.

Zero regarded the trapped girl for a second, then aimed carefully at the deactivated spider, shooting a measured shot, severing one of its legs and catching it before it could hit the ground. He approached Ciel, then kneeled before her, ignoring her slight blushing due to the awkward position and used the razor-sharp appendage to release her, always without uttering a word. Before she could thank him, his hand shot backwards with unreal speed and an explosion followed. Ciel's eyes went wide, as the parts of a second spider fell from the ceiling, the sharp leg protruding from the remains of its energy core.

Not able to find appropriate words to express herself, Ciel just followed her savior as he continued forward.

* * *

As soon as the capsule opened, the dark room was illuminated by a multitude of light sources from the ceiling and the black reploid stepped out. After a profane yawn, he regarded his right hand as if for the first time, clenching it and unclenching it repeatedly. Caressing his wild, spiked orange hair, he checked his internal clock. And gasped.

"Hey, doc, what's going on here? You kept me a month in this damn capsule!"

A speaker perched on the ceiling came to life.

"Not my fault. I told you to get out, but you just had to fight. That red brute inflicted major damage to your neuron network and I had to 'sedate' you."

"Pink brute."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean 'pink brute'. His armor was clearly pink."

"I thought it was red...Anyway, it was a month's sleep or a month's pain. And I gave you some upgrades too, so you can't complain."

The black reploid sighed. "Fair enough, but a month is a long time. What about the missions I had to do?"

"Tone and Pulse are quite capable, you know, but we have another problem now."

The reploid followed a well-lighted long corridor lazily. "Let me guess. Found us yet more underground mechaniloid factories of unknown origins?"

He walked in a large chamber filled with a wide collection of active screens, keyboards and other machinery, just in time to see the face of an old white-bearded human on a screen, frowning. "Those cursed things keep sprouting like mushrooms. We barely manage to keep their numbers steady. But that is not the imminent problem."

"Hi, Axl, good morning."

"Good morning, Axl we missed you."

"Hi guys, did I miss anything important?"

The heads of both small reploids sitting before individual terminals fell downwards.

"Hey, what's with the long faces?"

"Zero has been awakened, Axl. We got the signal some minutes ago.", said the disembodied voice.

The black tiger stood very still, trying to fully comprehend what he had just heard.

"But, who, how... why?"

The screen's face looked critically at the two, now skulking reploids. "Font and Case here seem to have divulged the location."

Axl regarded the terrified reploids, his visage dark.

"N...not o...our fault, A...axl."

"Yes, i...it was X. H...he wouldn't l...let us go."

Axl's voice resembled a snarl. "You let that damn clone learn where Zero sleeps? Are you out of your minds? I oughta... "

Dr. Light tried to calm him down. "Not Copy X, Axl. The real X. Don't blame them. They were trapped."

Axl's eyes went wide, as he rushed to Font, lifted him clearly off the ground and asked frantically, anger completely replaced by curiosity. "The real X? Is he alive? Where?"

The still scared reploid tried to respond. "H...he w...was a c...cyber-elf, Axl."

"What!"

At that time, another screen flickered to life and a voice was heard. "_Hey, do you read me?_"

"Loud and c...clear, Tone. What happened?", responded Case, wearing his earphones and typing at high speed, a map displayed on one of his screens.

"_We reached the core of that damn factory and disabled the shield generator. Are you able to Trans us?_"

"Affirmative, T...tone. Do you have enough explosives?"

"_More than enough. Get ready_."

Tone and Pulse rigged their potent charges and then disappeared and reappeared on a raised platform in the middle of the chamber. Seconds later, the image on Case's screen flickered then disappeared altogether. On a global map, one of the myriads of tiny red dots flashed and vanished.

The newcomers were in an ugly state, full of dents, one of Tone's hands limp, two of Pulse's cannons missing and both of them barely standing. Axl was only a little stunned. Even since he was part of Red Alert, there were many times he and others of his comrades would return in such or even worse condition.

"You seem like you took quite a beating there..."

Tone managed to smile. "Nah, just the ordinary. Killer laser traps, moving spikes, berserk mechaniloids, lava pits."

Axl chuckled as he went to help his two friends move to their repair capsules. "You must be rusting if you came back like that after a common mission."

"Well, the guardian at the core was a combination between a peacock and a giant killer truck. Too many missile launchers for my liking", said Pulse, as he staggered forth, half chuckling, half wincing.

Before Axl left the chamber, he turned to Case and Font who had just settled down again.

"Don't you think you two will get away with it. I will learn everything in due time."

The two meek brothers looked at each other and gulped...

* * *

The reploid sidestepped, allowing the cackling energy club to miss him by a hair's width, then caught the other hand before it could land a fist. With his right hand, he released a multitude of bright shots from his buster, followed by a kick in the droid's abdomen. The pantheon guardian, having sustained critical damage, went into stand-by mode, its body falling limp, its club flickering, then shutting down. As the second X-droid lunged forward, the crimson hunter positioned the deactivated machine between himself and his adversary, wielding it like a shield, the second guardian's energy club penetrating the back armor of the first and impaling its energy core. Zero turned tail and dashed as the entangled drones exploded, filling the room with smoke and staining the walls with artificial blood.

The two remaining pantheon guardians followed their preprogrammed directives and, since their optic sensors were temporary useless, stayed still, back to back, anticipating the next attack. Such crude strategies would change nothing though. The enemy they expected from their sides came from above, landing between them, grabbing their heads and smashing them together, then leaping out of sight again. The damaged and disorientated drones turned to look upwards, the smoke clearing but revealing nothing. A few buster shots later, their demolished bodies hit the ground, holes still smoking.

As Ciel went to approach the crimson reploid, she took a step back and froze. She couldn't tell if it was a trick of the dim light or her imagination raging, but for a second she thought she saw the reploid she awakened to smile. The mere thought of somebody smiling in the middle of such chaos threatened to leave her nauseous. When she looked again, Zero's face was once again without emotion or expression.

_It can't be. I imagined it. Nobody would find reason to smile, even after disposing mindless drones like that. But why won't he talk at all. His behavior complements that of a drone. Is he still shocked from the awakening? _

Since Zero walked forward without leaving quarters for any kind of inquiry or small talk, she followed him, almost running to catch up. She suddenly froze as a glowing large brown sphere appeared out of the blue and levitated towards her at high speed. She knew exactly what that new enemy was but her feet ignored her mind's wild screams, firmly rooted in the ground at the sight of her certain death. For any human and most reploids hit by a Flopper would surely die in the ensuing explosion. Her last thought was who in the world would unleash a weapon that was supposed to be banned and only used in dire occurrences.

A scarlet blur leaped into the path of the speeding globe and the world became one of heat and light. Ciel opened her eyes, astonished to still be alive. The room around her was full of smog and small fires, consuming anything flammable. But, apart from the minor burns all over her clothes, the superficial bumps and bruises and the soot covering her face, she was unharmed. Rising to her feet with little difficulty, she scanned her surroundings. Out of the inferno came a humanoid form, his red armor featuring minor cracks all over and small embers still dancing on him. Ciel gasped audibly at seeing Zero's face. His left cheek was covered with blood, his blood.

Forgetting everything else, she rushed to him and attempted to clean the red liquid and check if he was alright. Her voice was shaky, a mixture of awe, guilt and concern. "I don't believe you shielded me with your own body like that. I... Are you hurt, let me..."

Zero gently stopped her hand and shook his head, the faintest hint of a smile on his face. Motioning to her to follow, he kept walking as if nothing had happened.

_Damn, that hurt but I'll live. That girl has guts though. At least one of her close people died here and she won't give up. She acted as if it was her fault that thing locked on her. My mind is still clouded dammit. Anyway, the less I say the better until I can remember who I am..._

Ciel was slow to follow, her mind miles away. _This time he did smile. Barely, but he did. He is far from mindless, though something is wrong. I can't believe he can still casually stand after such a hit, his armor and endurance are surely legendary. I'm a bit afraid of him, but who wouldn't..._

At long last, the duo reached a portion of the corridor that had caved in. Tons upon tons of solid pieces from the ceiling laid before them, blocking their way and the hints of floating dust that still filled the room's air indicated the passageway had been sealed recently. Ciel walked forward oblivious to the fact that the collapse had weakened the ancient floor under her feet.

"What! It's a dead end..."

She scanned around while the wounded supports started to give under her, in other circumstances insignificant weight. Zero regarded the debris before him, thinking of how much time it would take him to open a passage. A slight sound of metal twisting could barely be heard in the background.

"What should we do... We don't have time to clear the way..."

The following silence was disrupted as the floor creaked in protest, quivering slightly. Zero heard that and braced himself for any potential enemies. Then the floor collapsed under Ciel's feet, throwing her into a well which bottom was lost in the darkness. Not quite sure what had happened, she blinked once then realized she was falling into the abyss. A second later, she felt warmth beside her and twin muscular hands caught her. She turned to see Zero, who had jumped behind her and somehow caught her while falling along with her.

_What is he doing? Both of us will die now! How can he think we could ever survive such a..._

Her eyes fell on his and she noticed a spark of determination behind the seemingly emotionless azure orbs. She did the only thing she could, closing her eyes and clinging tight on her only hope. Zero maneuvered elegantly through the air as if swimming in water, got close to a wall and holding the young scientist with one hand, he extended the other towards the wall. Sparks flew from his armored gauntlet as friction slowed down their mad fall, but he didn't seem to care. Glancing downwards, he saw an obstacle. Further down the shaft, a construct made of steel pipes blocked their decent. The crimson hunter knew that the old fabricate would not support their weight but hurt them instead, falling along with them. Acting fast, he disengaged his hand from the wall, unholstered his buster and colliding his feet on the wall, he turned and continued falling upside-down. Without the slightest hint of panic he aimed carefully at the incoming barrier, finding its weak points, firing and causing it to fall out of their way. Replacing the weapon in its sheath, he reached out for the wall again, causing both of them to return to erect position and slowing them down further. The bottom finally came into sight and they landed relatively smoothly.

Zero attempted to release Ciel from his hands, but she was still holding him in a death-grip. He just stood there waiting, observing the quivering human girl. At long last, she hesitantly opened her eyes and relief washed on her, barely able to believe they were still alive. Noticing their intimate position, she let go abruptly, nearly losing her balance, her face flushing. Words came out of her mouth with difficulty.

"You...Thank you...", she managed to utter.

Both of them surveyed their surroundings. The bottom of the well was filled with debris from the collapsed floor and some metal pipes, their edges still red hot from the buster shots, providing some faint light, the only light source in the room. A single door loomed before them, half destroyed and letting some more light creep in. A barely readable large sign was perched next to it.

"This place must be a prehistoric laboratory", said Ciel. "If we can find a Trans server that is still functional, we can return to the Resistance base"

After Zero trashed the already damaged door, they found themselves in a well-lit corridor, terminals embedded in the walls still humming with power. Ciel took the lead and Zero, seeing as no threats were visible, followed her. They soon reached another portion of the corridor that had collapsed. The blond scientist checked the ground carefully, then walked forward to examine this new obstacle.

"How nice...Another cave in. But we can't go back, can we? It seems easier to pass than the last..."

Zero's mind was screaming to him frantically. _Something is not right here. I don't know how, but I can feel it. This cave in is even more recent than the last. There is something here._

The only warning was the sound of great machinery instantly coming to life.

"Stay back!", shouted Zero.

Ciel was stunned, hearing him talk for the first time. But even if she had been alert, she would still be unable to evade the next event. The actually flimsy rock barrier behind her exploded and a giant metal hand emerged, grabbing the human firmly but not enough to really hurt her and dragged her back into where it came from. Zero dashed through the hole just in time, as a concentrated green laser beam caused another portion of the ceiling to collapse, sealing the doorway behind him.

Zero turned to regard his greater opponent. The golem was easily three times his height and quite bulky. Its body was gray and a washed out military green with small portions of red. It floated close to the ground, supported by twin levitation engines and two rockets on its back allowed it to move. In one of its huge hands Ciel squirmed frantically, valiantly trying to free herself to no avail. The golem's head was small when compared to its massive body and square, faintly reminding crude stonework statues of the past. On its forehead loomed the port of a laser weapon, currently charging to unleash another searing beam.

The scarlet bomber sighed and readied his buster, his face set with determination, his eyes sharp.

Ciel saw him and her voice was desperate. "Zero! No! Run..." _ No more. No more blood on my hands, no more sacrifice because of me. _"You can't damage this thing with a buster..."

* * *

"So X and that Ciel managed to wake up Zero, somehow completing his body. These are actually good news."

Axl sat along with Tone and Pulse in the maintenance room, while mechanic limbs were trying to mend their wounds.

Tone smiled. "It would be good to see the old commander again. We haven't seen him since...". His voice trailed away, while everybody's faces went grim.

"...since he almost killed us in Weil's base", continued Pulse.

Axl exploded. "That was **not** Zero. That was merely his body, a puppet of that bastard, Weil. After defeating those eight losers and almost reaching him, he unleashed his final weapon on us. And he couldn't control it, either. That's why we crash-landed and that's what saved us!"

Tone shook his head. "Calm down, Axl. Yes, we failed that time. We failed to free Zero's original body, but we got out alive. Well, almost. It's a good thing the doc found us."

"And the true Zero was safe all that time. Well, since he woke up earlier, so much the better. I want to talk to him again. And also to..."

Axl's face faltered. "I couldn't bare to meet X again, guys. I failed him. I promised I would bring our friend back and I..."

Tone sighed. "Get over it, already, Axl. If we hadn't destroyed all those factories, Neo-Arcadia would have been overrun multiple times."

"I know, guys, but I still feel guilty. And we miss a large piece of the story, too. X a cyber-elf? How is that even possible?"

"Don't worry about that now, Axl", sighed Pulse. "At least Zero will trash that imposter that now rules Neo-Arcadia in X's absence. He is the only one who can do that."

A voice erupted from the speakers. "I'm afraid it won't be that easy."

All three reploids instinctively turned towards the source of the sound. "Why is that, doc?"

The voice sighed. "I was afraid the body change might cause Zero memory lapses. But now that he woke up prematurely, it is almost a certainty. He will remember nothing at all. His memory will return in time, but he is currently vulnerable. But that's not all."

Silence filled the chamber, everybody awaiting the impending dire news.

"The problem is that Zero's purifying sleep has ended too soon. While the Zero Virus **should **be already purged, his body can still channel dark energy. There are traces remaining. He might be able to eventually control it, but it is still very dangerous."

* * *

The hunter jumped sideways, as the green laser beam left a blackened red-hot trail on the floor where he was standing a second ago. He retaliated by unleashing a barrage of shots that were summarily deflected by the energy-resistant, enhanced armor plating of the golem.

The giant military device rushed forward, its back thrusters at full efficiency, attempting to body-slam Zero against the wall. As the red hunter prepared to dodge, a memory assaulted him and the world went blank.

_Zero saw a blue, plain armored reploid looking at him sheepishly. Then he heard a voice, his voice._

_"Yes, you somehow did learn the triangular kick. But even though we defeated Sigma for a second time, you can't just rest assured."_

_Zero indicated an immensely high wall._

_"Oh, come now, Zero. I can scale it easily."_

_Zero smiled. "50 zenny say you can't keep up with me. We might both be elite hunters, but you yet have much to learn."_

_The blue reploid smiled too. "Try it, blondy."_

_Both reploids dashed to the wall, then kick-jumped on the vertical surface, scaling it with unmatched velocity._

Zero recovered just in time to avoid the hulking opponent, climbing high on the wall in a flash, higher than where the golem could reach. Ciel gasped to see him perched on the wall like a fly, though she had heard of that technique from X. _The triangular kick! Now I see why X made such a fuss over it. If I had any doubts about him actually being Zero, now I'm sure._

From his high position, the red bomber could aim at the only spot of the golem not protected by armor. The crevice between the neck and the torso. The pink-clad scientist cringed as the energy shots connected above her, but she had grown to trust Zero's mark. The golem staggered, clearly hurt but otherwise not critically damaged.

_Damn, my buster is not strong enough to destroy it. Why do I have the feeling it could usually fire stronger shots than that..._

The laser cannon flashed again, its angle different than before. The red hunter scurried away from the wall just in time to avoid the beam, which ascended high this time and licked the ceiling. A large rock fell from above and he failed to dodge, his attention completely on his adversary. Ignoring the new dent on his helmet and the inevitable headache, he lunged to the side just in time to avoid a lethal rain of much larger-and heavier-boulders, then lunged again behind the new obstacle to avoid another laser beam. He stayed still for a while, catching his breath, then jumped on the boulders and fired again, his target now much clearer from such high perch. The golem rushed in, demolishing the dislodged debris into fine dust with its empty fist. Zero dash-leaped above it, scoring some pot shots while in midair, then landed behind it. The golem turned abruptly, grabbed a large slab that lied close to it and flung it at the crimson reploid. Zero wall-jumped again, then leaped towards the missile, his feet momentarily touching it and using it as leverage to propel him higher. The next three shots, always on target, caused sparks to erupt from the golem's weak point as the scarlet hunter landed again.

"Rats! This will take too long...", he muttered.

As the much larger opponent stayed still, its systems trying to readjust to the damage inflicted, one of the active monitors flickered to life, revealing an atom-shaped image, and a silver tube flied towards Zero. An awe-inspiring green blade erupted from the silver hilt and touched the floor, impaling itself deep into the tiles. At the same time, a voice was heard from some still functional speakers.

"Use this...Zero!"

The red hunter momentarily forgot about the battle and turned to regard the new presence, its voice seeming acutely familiar.

"Who are you?"

The voice spoke urgently. "Hurry...you have to save her...save Ciel...Don't waste time, Zero."

As the image disappeared from the screen, the crimson bomber gingerly touched, then grabbed the hilt of the weapon that laid beside him. He felt a shock similar to when he wielded his buster for the first time, only many times more intense, as if the weapon was an extension of his spirit. Hardly thinking, he jumped on the wall, then air-dashed towards the golem, which had almost recovered. With a single mighty slash of the saber, he severed the golem's fingers, thus releasing Ciel, then continued to cut cleanly through the golem's chest armor and neck. Ciel felt herself falling but again Zero caught her before she could hit the ground, laid her on the floor gently, then covered her with his body, shielding her from the ensuing explosion as the mighty weapon detonated. The last thing Ciel could see before the universe turned white-hot, was a slim purple line dancing inside the still activated green saber.

Behind the screen embedded on the wall, X landed exhausted among the machinery.

_I made it just in time Zero. And even if you can remember nothing, I know who you truly are.._

X crept into oblivion, his cyber-elf body desperately in need of rest...

* * *

#initiating data log:

#Event: Z-saber recovered. All weapon performance enhanced.

#Event: Synchronization level upped by 4 percent.

#Event: Body functions upgraded. Possible power level upped; Synchronization temporary downed by 3 percent.

#Report: repair systems at 35 percent efficiency. Damage detected, halting completion to mend urgent wounds.

#Overview:

Relative potential body power level: infinite.

Relative possible body power level: 105K

Synchronization percentage: 7

Relative power level: 7350

#End log

* * *

Ciel felt something covering her to move away. Not wanting to lose the comfort of oblivion, she reflexively tried to grab it back. Opening her eyes, she saw her hand was grabbing the hand of a crimson armored reploid and let go instantly. Zero looked at the girl questioningly, for her actions seemed rush. He extended his hand again to help her stand and she hesitantly accepted it, her cheeks matching the reploid's armor.

"I can't believe you were able to destroy a golem...", she managed to say, looking at the deactivated mount of scrap that was once a formidable weapon. After a while, she somewhat regained her composure and smiled at her savior. "We were right. You ARE Zero, the legendary Reploid!"

Zero grabbed his head with both hands as if in pain. "Zero...? Is that my name?" He tried hard to remember, to recall his memories from behind the unyielding barrier in his mind. At long last he sighed in frustration. "Ugh, I can't remember..."

Ciel felt herself dizzy. _All that time he fought purely on instinct, without recalling anything! Without his memories he must feel really lost, yet he fought to protect me. No wonder he wouldn't utter a word, he was too preoccupied._

"Just try to relax for a moment. You must have hibernation sickness." Zero turned to regard her. "Was I...asleep?", he stated more than asked. Ciel nodded." I'm sorry for forcing you to wake up. And... Thank you for saving me" As Zero dismissed the thanks with a hand motion, the blond scientist continued. "My name is Ciel, by the way. I'm a scientist. Would you like to follow me at our base, before more enemies arrive?

The crimson hunter was still perplexed, doubt threatening to overwhelm him. "What if I'm not the Zero you were talking about? I don't actually feel like a hero of... legend."

Ciel actually managed to chuckle. "You proved it to me when you defeated the golem. Very few could have done that." Her mind cascaded to the thoughts of X, the guardians and the pirated copy she had created. Pushing the painful memories away, she passed through the only door of the room.

Zero though about that a bit more, then shook his head sighing and followed Ciel.

The room behind the door contained a weird looking machine that was still functional and humming. "We are in luck, this Trans Server is active, though I can't imagine how after all this time", said Ciel, visibly relieved. "Just give me a minute to set the co-ordinates and we can teleport away from here."

After a while, she stepped away from the device's keyboard distressed. "We have a problem. The passcodes to penetrate the shield are corrupted and I can't seem to be able to retrieve them. This can take quite long..."

As on cue, a familiar voice boomed from quite far, penetrating the walls. "Damn, you say you lost the golem's trace somewhere here? Sage will fry me alive when he learns. Bah, get out of the way you stupid drones, I'll open a path."

As a multitude of explosions pummelled the corridor sealed by the golem's beam, Ciel frantically tried to recover the lost password and Zero readied his weapons.

_He can't fight Fefnir now. Not without being in full power and after sustaining such damage. I must find it, dammit. Now!_

As the blasts became louder and louder and the young scientist started to despair, two light descended from the ceiling, one iridescent, one pure white.

"I believe we can help you, miss Ciel."

"Yeah, she's right. But we must ask for something in return, of course..."

* * *

Well, there goes chapter 10. I'm not really satisfied with this one, I believe I should have written it better... Anyway, I hope you liked it...

**To Shadow Enigma: **X was asleep and woke up shortly before the Fefnir-Axl battle. I don't know about mother elf. Perhaps yes, perhaps no. She can do it obviously, but I might think of something else... Glad you liked the awakening. They sure went very deep 0.0

**To Lotus: **You got what you asked, I believe. Or do you prefer more intense cliffhangers ?

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** Am I going to do all the missions? To be honest... I have no idea;-) You must have tried the mixture. That's why you haven't replied to my last mail. That, or it got lost. (skips heartbeat) Don't tell me you actually **pushed **the red button! O.0

**To mad-man: **I can think of more matching names, but I don't believe I need any right now. Words only exist inside our heads. Gem seems to small too me... Perhaps I could use crystal. How about this chapter's end;-) It was a reference to psychotic underpaid school librarians who believe everybody that surfs on the net must do it for "educational" reasons. I don't have such problems anymore...

**To PhiloWorm: **What urged me to write the story **was** the plotholes. No sense in retelling a story that is perfect... Well, the humans of the Light family must have died, except if somehow preserved their consciousness in a computer or a fishbowl;-), which is unlikely. Never said anything about their descendants, though...

**To Uzu-Chan: **You really have to come on par with the others;-D Axl returned to stay...

**To Myhi: **I knew it meant heaven or sky or something like that from megaman-network, but I know better Japanese than French, aka twenty words, so... I'm not sure if I pronounce her name correct. I think it is pronounced C-L. Was that Chrono from Chrono crusade? "Oteku"? I know it as "Otaku", but the meaning is the same. Heck we are in this site, reading and writing. I can't think a better term for all of us;-) Yes, I believe I gave Milan (something like) a character...

Some of you neglected to review last chapter... You should be ashamed;-) Kidding of course... I have been missing chapters from other fics forever...


	11. The motive of the hunter and the infiltr

Something tells me you liked last chapter, even if I did not... I can't complain, can I;-)

Beware, OC alert!

* * *

Chapter 11: The motive of the hunter and the infiltration

Despite the continued blasts, Ciel turned to regard the two new arrivals, astonished to see two cyber-elves. Though she had been studying such energy entities extensively, hoping to find the key that would provide an alternative energy source, she had never seen anything resembling those two. The details of their humanoid forms were marred due to their light, but she could safely assume they were both females. As for their subcategory or function, she was truly in the dark.

The elf surrounded by the white aura spoke again. "Well, what will it be, blondy girl? Will we help each other, or will you and that cute guy in the red armor get out of the mess alone?"

Her companion, lost in a shifting, multicolored aura, spoke afterwards. "Oh, Isis, be polite for once!". Turning to Ciel, she added. "Forgive my friend here. She has no manners. We can input the code and we only ask to take us with you. Is that acceptable?"

Ciel stared in disbelief for some time, while the white elf was making funny faces behind her friend, then nodded. "Of course we will be glad to take you with us. Just help us out of here, please."

"Our pleasure", said the rainbow colored elf and dived into the Trans server.

"Our pleasure", mocked the white one, imitating the voice while following. "Really Siri, you're too polite for your own good, you know..."

Seconds later, the machine came to life. Ciel inputted the coordinates, placed a quick randomizing command to cover their tracks, then motioned Zero to step on the teleportation pad along with her. As the two elves came close, the Trans-server flashed and sent all of them away. A second later, the room's door disengaged from the wall and went flying, a stampeding Fefnir falling behind it. Rising his head, he regarded the empty room, then let out a curse. He returned to the previous room and what he saw left him inanimate for almost a whole minute. The lost golem, one of their strongest war machines, was reduced to a deactivated pile of scrap metal, still smoking.

The red guardian gulped. "Yep, Sage **is** gonna kill me..."

* * *

Zero opened his eyes as the infinite whiteness of transing gave its place to a dull room, its walls gray and cracked, adorned with long inactive shredded pipelines.

"What a hovel!", exclaimed the white-lighted elf.

Ciel scowled for only a second, then turned to the scarlet armored reploid beside her and smiled. "Welcome to our resistance base, Zero. It's not the best place in the world, but we have managed to make it habitable."

Zero nodded, while the multicolored elf spoke to Ciel. "I believe we can now be acquainted properly. My name is Siri and this loud clown beside me is my friend, Isis."

As said clown stuck out a tiny tongue from her mouth, Siri continued. "We would like to let us stay here, at least for a while. Is that okay with you?"

Ciel looked at the cyber-elf intrigued, the researcher inside her agitated. "Of course you can stay as long as you like. I'm Ciel, by the way and this is..."

Isis was circling around Ciel's head relentlessly. "Yeah, yeah, we know. He is the hyper, super, legendary crimson Irregular hunter, Zero of doom! Also known as..."

A sharp aerial kick from Siri caused her to shut up. "What!"

"You talk to much as always. A pleasure to meet you, miss Ciel. We had been in this laboratory for quite a while and we know some things about Zero. Could I ask you..."

She was interrupted as the door opened wide to reveal a multitude of plasma rifles trained on them. A booming voice was again heard. "Who is there!"

Isis sprang to life again. "You wanna fight, big guy? Come on, I'll take all of you", she exclaimed, whipping her tiny fists in the air.

_Cerveau is really getting better at the imposing voice thing, _thought Ciel. "It's me, Cerveau, lower your weapons."

The engineer rushed across and placed his hands on the young scientist's shoulders. "Are you hurt, Ciel?", he asked concerned, gawking at her sore appearance.

She dismissed his worries. "I'm fine, Cerveau, but the rest...". Her head fell downwards.

Cerveau sighed. "I was afraid something like that would happen. We saw Neo-Arcadian forces approaching you position, but we could not contact you. Hell, we couldn't even see you."

"This is quite natural, my good sir. There is a protective forcefield in place covering that forest." Cerveau noticed the cyber-elves and the strange reploid for the first time. "Who are they?", he asked gingerly, staring at the unusual design of Zero's armor.

Ciel allowed herself a weak smile. "The two cyber-elves are Isis and Siri and the reploid is Zero, The Zero, Cerveau. He saved me, fighting half an army of enemies. I wouldn't be alive if not for him."

Everybody remain hushed for seemingly infinite time.

"Hey, without us, you would have been toasted, girly."

Isis snide comment was lost, as every Resistance reploid present started talking at the same time, mainly to the red armored stranger.

"Are you really Zero?"

"The Zero?"

"The hero of legend?"

"You saved Dr. Ciel?"

"Will you help us?"

"Will you beat the tyrants?"

"Did you really beat so many?"

"Can I talk to you?"

"Can I take you a pictograph?"

"Can you show me a cool move?"

Cerveau sighed, then regarded the duo. Ciel was clearly exhausted, both physically and mentally, barely standing erect. And the red reploid, though he looked indifferent and tried to ignore the seething mob, was clearly in rough shape, his armor burned and broken. As on cue, a line of blood-like substance appeared on his hand, slowly but steadily descending.

_Curses, he is bleeding but says nothing. In his place, I would kick those jackasses out of the way and lie down.._ "Alright everyone", he screamed above any other voice. "Get back to your stations now! There is nothing to see here and they are fed up with your clamor."

After some halfhearted shouts of protest, everybody left the room, whispering to each other all along. It wouldn't take a genius to assume that everybody in the base would learn about the new arrival within the hour...

"Come with me", said Cerveau to the duo. " You are clearly in need of repair and Ciel should get a long quiet sleep."

The pink-clad scientist dismissed the notion. "You will need help Cerveau and I don't feel like sleeping yet. Wouldn't say no for a chair though."

The master mechanic led them to his laboratory and locked the door behind them to avoid unwanted audience.

"So you are Zero", said Cerveau, more asking than stating.

The crimson hunter shook his head. "I don't really know."

"Zero is suffering from amnesia, Cerveau. I thought it was because of his sleep, but perhaps I was wrong. Zero, do you still remember nothing?"

The red reploid sighed. "I know I have a past somewhere inside my head. When I fought the golem, I even had a flash."

"The golem!", gasped Cerveau.

Ciel nodded. "That is correct, Cerveau. A golem had captured me, but Zero destroyed it single-handedly. "

The engineer let out a whistle. "I have to see your weapons when I'm done with you. Is this armor phasable or removable?"

Zero shrugged. "I'm not really sure, but I think both." He concentrated for a second, then his left hand armor disappeared, only to appear on the workbench beside them. Then he reached for his right hand armor, which automatically disengaged, separating into two pieces and placed it on the table, too. The flexible but durable undershirt that was beneath, was stained with blood but otherwise intact. Causing it to disappear from his arm, the real damage came into sight. His humanlike synthetic skin underneath featured a deep nasty gash. It seemed that a hit that would have severed his arm was absorbed by the armor, causing it to crack, and a sharp shard from it had been impaled close to his wrist.

Ciel almost gasped, not because of the sight of blood, for she knew how to build and repair reploids better than most, but because she realized how much pain such an injury would cause. Without losing a second, she passed a small range reploidic analgesic to block the pain to Cerveau, who promptly used it.

"Is he seriously injured?", asked Siri, quite concerned.

"Bah, the legendary Maverick whopper is stronger than that", interjected Isis.

Cerveau shook his head. "I have to check for internal damage. Is that okay with you, Zero?"

The scarlet reploid nodded. "Do what you must, Cerveau. You know better."

The engineer took a laser medical scalpel and made a fine cut close to Zero's wrist, were the gash was. When the part mechanic, part bionic components below came to light, Cerveau gasped. "I'll be damned! Ciel, I definitely need your assistance here. I'm way out of my league."

The blond doctor gasped, too. "I'll do what I can, Cerveau, though I only understand half of what I see. At least the damage doesn't seem too serious."

Cerveau frowned. "Lucky you, I'm at less than one quarter."

"Zero's wounds were always difficult to repair", said Siri, her voice absent.

Ciel regarded her curiously. "How do you know that, Siri? I have heard it, too."

"Bah, the loser here has passed through a crapload of data. Literally. I told her such knowledge won't help a cyber-elf, but she's stubborn as a million volts."

"Knowledge is important for anyone, Isis", said Siri, a little embarrassed.

"Whatever... So, Ciel it was, what do you want from big hero Zero here? I won't believe that's a social call, you know."

"I was getting to it", murmured Ciel while wearing her visor and repairing some microscopic damage using a complex accurate tool. As soon as she finished, she picked up the laser scalpel, this time stitching the artificial flesh together and leaving a bearably visible line behind, which would vanish in a few hours.

"This is a shelter for injured Reploids who are suspected of being Mavericks", she said at long last.

Siri, since then calm, flied around Ciel frantically. "Mavericks? Are there Mavericks around here?"

The scientist shook her head. "None of them are really irregular. I'm the proof of that. Is your helmet removable, Zero? I remember you were hurt there, too."

The blue crystal on the red reploid's forehead flashed once and the crimson, black and white helm appeared on the table next to the arm guards. A waterfall of shinny golden hair extended, having nothing to hold it in a ponytail.

Ciel was stunned at the display, but nobody noticed because of Isis's comment.

"Tee-hee, you surely look a bit like a girl, Z."

As the reploid in question shot a half-serious frown towards the cyber-elf, Siri tackled her from behind. "What is your problem, Siri? That hurt!"

"Stop insulting Zero, you mean thing! He looks just great."

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"I won't fall to your level, Isis. Grow up!"

"You will fall!"

"I won't... Arg, this ends here!"

"It does not!"

Cerveau sighed, as he and Ciel mended a superficial gush on Zero's forehead. _This will be interesting, but I still can't believe this is truly Zero. And even if he is, what can he do without his memory? Still, he defeats a golem, saves Ciel from an army and his self-repair systems apparently work faster than we do. This head injury was really serious, but now it is only a scratch. And even his armor regenerates before my very eyes..._

Ciel continued, ignoring the elves bickering above her. "We have been trying to survive so hard and for so long, but...". Her gaze fell. "But the end is near. That is the reason why we looked for you. You are our only hope."

"Many thought and still think Zero does not exist in this world anymore, that he is only a figment of our imagination in those difficult times. However, some of us believed in you and we finally managed to find you. I have no doubt you ARE Zero, the legendary hunter who fought along with X to save this world a century ago"

Zero tried to respond, but he stopped short, a random memory resurfacing.

_He stood in a wide, well-lit chamber, gazing at a line of seriously unnerved reploids and humans._

_He heard himself talking "And so, we welcome you to the Irregular hunters. All of you have been deemed capable of joining. Remember, however, that you are still not strong enough to be considered full-fledged hunters. You have to train hard, harder than everything else you would imagine. And though the payment is good, any of us could die at any time. You will start with rank F and one day, some of you might even reach rank A as I have. You have this day free to move your things to your quarters and become familiar with the place. And tomorrow we start at 6 o'clock sharp. Dismissed!"_

_As everybody left the room, Zero approached a blue-armored rookie that stayed behind._

"_Haven't I seen you from somewhere?"_

_The blue reploid smiled nervously. "Yes, Zero-sempai. I used to be Dr. Cain's assistant. My name is X."_

_Zero rose a brow. "So you are the one the old man used as a prototype for all reploids. I thought you were mostly in research."_

_X formed his buster. "I am equipped to fight if needed. They said I have great potential."_

_Zero smirked. "Let me guess. That badger, Sigma persuaded you to join."_

_X nodded. "Well, more or less. Commander Sigma always looks for new hunters."_

"_Indeed. He persuaded me too. Anyway, if you are good enough, I might take you in my squad, rookie."_

"_T..thank you sir! I hope I will be qualified, sir!"_

"_I hope that too, X. Many Mavericks those days out there."_

"Are you alright Zero?", asked Ciel again.

"Bah, the cute boy just zoned out. Hey, blondy! Wake up!"

"Isis!"

"Oh, shove off, Siri."

Zero sighed. "I'm okay. It's just that the name, 'X', sounds familiar."

"X... That legendary Reploid is still alive and he's trying to retire all of us."

"X... is trying to... retire you?"

"That's preposterous!", said Siri. "I know X would never retire reploids without a justified reason. And he would never touch a human, either. I mean, that's what all the ancient logs indicate."

The cyber-elf could have stabbed Ciel with a knife and hurt her less. _That's true. X would never, ever do those things. It is I who did it. I... I wish I could turn the clock back, but I have to keep trying. Keep trying to correct what I did... _"X is not the same anymore. He has... changed. Because of the energy shortage, he believes that by... eliminating reploids he can protect the humans."

"And what does that have to do with you, missy? Last time I checked-a second ago- you were a human."

Ciel scowled to Isis. "I can't just stand back and watch. I want to help everyone."

Cerveau, seeing Ciel losing her composure, continued. "That is why Ciel tries to develop a substitute energy source. We believe that will cause this madness to stop."

The young doctor nodded. "But X's plans are set to motion. Being Neo-Arcadia's unquestioned leader allows him to declare any reploid as Maverick. Many innocent Reploids are being retired as we speak... That is why we need your help."

She was now trying to hold back tears. "Our future depends on you... Please help us... Zero."

The red hunter replaced his helmet on his head and shut his eyes, thinking. _She is not evil. I can say she is trying to do her best for everybody. And I certainly don't like the thought of innocents treated like that.., IF she says the truth..._

"Is fighting really necessary?", asked Siri. "I know that sometimes battle is inevitable, but we must always try to compromise."

"Bah, who cares! Fighting is fun. And fighting for good is an added bonus. Especially when you are the winner. And our bloody boy here is born a winner!"

Ciel, ignoring Isis, turned to regard the multicolored cyber-elf. She knew from experience that some cyber-elves could be wise, as wise as the wisest of humans and reploids. Still, such cases were rare. Sighing, she answered. "I have tried everything, Siri. Before I fled Neo-Arcadia, I was part of its ruling council, greatest in authority after X and the guardians. But I felt useless. Since I founded the Resistance, we have saved more reploids than I ever could have done otherwise." She turned to Zero. "That's why I need your help, Zero."

At long last, the crimson warrior responded. "Ciel, I really wish to help you... But I'm not sure. Not sure about myself, not sure if I will be fighting for the right reasons. I know I can fight. That is the only thing left to me now. And if I help you and then my memories come back, will I have to betray you because of what I believe? I can't clearly remember X, but I know enough to say we were not enemies. I'm not sure..."

Ciel nodded, fully understanding what the reploid before her meant despite the grief that filled her being. "Of course you will need some time. I understand why you feel lost. But I beg you to reconsider. I..."

At that exact moment, the door opened, despite the fact Cerveau had locked it. Ciel and Cerveau had an idea who the visitor was. A tiny figure rushed to Ciel and delicate hands embraced her. "Sorry I barged in using the codes, mommy, but I was lonely. Am I bothering?"

Zero stared at the new presence in disbelief, as Isis began to circle around her. "What are you talking about, girl? You are a reploid and she is a human."

"She is my mommy because she cares for me, little elf. That's all that matters."

As all three newcomers raised a brow, Ciel smiled to them. "This is Alouette. We saved her from Neo-Arcadia and she has adopted me as a mother, right Alouette?"

"Right!", exclaimed the little reploid, giggling. Then she turned her attention to Zero. "Who is that, Ciel. He is scary."

Isis wouldn't lose such a chance. "Oh, yes. He is a scary legend from the dark pit of monsters. He might eat you!"

Siri virtually air-dashed on her companion, almost knocking her off air. "Don't hear her, small girl. He is very strong but really nice."

Alouette turned to regard Zero, who was now smiling visibly. "What is your name, mister?", she asked gingerly.

Zero, always smiling, patted her gently on the head. "I'm Zero, Alouette. Your mother found me. The scary, jerky elf behind me is Isis and the other is Siri."

The little girl turned to Ciel. "Is he the one who will help us?"

Ciel regarded Zero questioningly. "We can't force him, Alouette. He already saved me many times. I couldn't come back without him."

The small reploid's eyes went wide, then she rushed at Zero and embraced him clumsily. "Thank you, Zero, for saving my mommy. Without her, nobody would care for me."

Zero felt awkward, not really knowing how to respond to such an outbreak.

Alouette released him at long last and turned to Ciel. "I'm going to bed, mommy. Will you come to tell me a story?"

Ciel smiled. "I will in a minute, Alouette. Go first and I'll come."

"Okay!", she screamed as she left the room, "Good night, uncle Cerveau, good night Zero, Isis and Siri!"

"I'm sorry about that. She didn't mean to bother you."

Zero shook his head, a smile still on his face. "No bother at all. In fact, I think I will help you Ciel, at least until I can remember more about who I am."

Every other head in the room turned in astonishment. Ciel could barely believe her ears. "You... you will?", she asked, not daring to hope too much.

Zero just nodded. "Thank you, Zero, thank you so much! This is like a dream coming true! Now, with your help we can save everybody. Rest for tonight and recover from your wounds and tomorrow we can start!", she said, barely able to hide her exhilaration. "Cerveau, will you please show him his room? I have to go to Alouette."

Cerveau shrugged and smiled at the same time. "Run along, Ciel. She is waiting."

* * *

"I won't believe it until I see it with my very eyes, Fefnir."

Sage Harpuia, the first guardian of Neo-Arcadia, walked into the chamber where the golem's remains rested, followed by a sheepish Fefnir and a Huge reploid that resembled an elephant. Harpuia regarded the golem for quite some time, then used his thrusters to get close to its head and touched the place from where the Z-saber had passed. The metal close to the slash was brittle, losing parts on contact.

Harpuia had a good idea what had happened. "The armor partly vaporized...", he muttered in disbelief. With his extensive scientific knowledge, he knew how much power something like that would require.

"Well, do you believe me now?", asked Fefnir, apparently losing the importance of the situation.

"Indeed, Fefnir. If one reploid did such damage, we might have a problem.

The elephant-like reploid reentered the room, coming from where the Trans Server was and waited for Harpuia's attention.

"Who's that one, anyway?", asked Fefnir.

"His name is Maha Ganeshariff. He belongs to the Meikai army and Leviathan trusts him. He is one of our best hackers."

"Hacker? He seems more like a bulldozer to me."

The great elephant bowed as much as his frame would allow. "Not everyone with a large, well-armored body is a mindless brute, master Fefnir. A select few of us prefer brains over brawns."

"I see..." muttered the red guardian.

Harpuia refrained from chuckling because of Maha's subtle insult to Fefnir and turned to the great elephant questioningly.

Maha shook his head. "They randomized the logs before leaving. No way to pinpoint their location."

The green guardian nodded. "I expected nothing less from Ciel, really. Fefnir, lead us to where that reploid slept."

A temporary elevator and quite some walk later, the trio reached the large hibernation chamber. Maha went to work immediately, connecting its embodied server to the remains of the hibernation machine. A minute later, he turned to the generals.

"Much of the data is fragmented, protected or corrupted. It will take me a long time to learn everything."

Harpuia sighed. "Can you give us anything about this reploid's identity, at least?"

Maha Ganeshariff grinned, pleased with himself. "Oh, I know exactly who that was. If the data are correct, the reploid sleeping here was none other than the legendary Maverick hunter, Zero."

The two guardians gasped in unison. "I don't believe it till I see it for meself!", exclaimed Fefnir.

Harpuia was thoughtful. "Why would a Maverick hunter help Mavericks?"

"I believe I might have an explanation about that, master Harpuia." The jade guardian regarded the elephant. "According to this data, his sleep was not supposed to end so soon. I believe his memory is locked."

"So Ciel is taking advantage of him", muttered Harpuia.

X, who had just regained his senses after wearing himself down to almost zero energy, was spying on the three reploids unseen.

_So it's true. Zero remembers nothing. Damn if I had a choice, though. I can only hope his memory will return in time. The only thing I can do now, is stop that cursed copy of mine from getting those data, while I learn what I may.

* * *

_

"So, doc, any news from Zero?"

A sigh came from the speakers. "It seems he got out of the laboratory safely. My sensor network cannot pinpoint him, though. I'm thinking of expanding it. In the meanwhile, I have a mission for you, Axl."

The black tiger frowned. "Tell me it's not another of those damn factories, doc. I've lost count, already."

"No, not another factory. This is an infiltration mission. The mechaniloids coming from those factories keep becoming stronger. Since we can't seem to find intact data when you destroy the factories, we are forced to use battle data. Do you have an idea as to where we can get those?"

Axl grinned. "That's a no-brainer, doc. You want me to infiltrate Neo-Arcadia's databank center."

"Indeed. Your copy abilities will give you an edge. Just don't get scrapped like last time. It's bad enough Tone and Pulse are currently under maintenance."

"Okay, doc, shall I leave at once?"

"That's a good idea. My sources tell me that only one guardian remains in the city. Not sure who, but you can evade him or her easily."

"Yeah, evade or scrap!"

"Your power level is quite higher than the guardians, but they are battle-wise and crafty. Don't bite more than you can chew, kid."

"Stop calling me kid, you geezer. I'm close to two hundred."

"And I'm older than two times that number, Axl. Actual age isn't always of consequence."

"Whatever, I'm leaving now." Axl turned to the two other reploids in the room. "You two had better help me as much as you can. I'm still mad at you!"

"Y...yes Axl."

"W...we will do our best."

Dr. Light spoke again. "We will teleport you in the tunnels close to Neo-Arcadia. If you make good speed, you will reach the destination tomorrow morning. Take care Axl."

The black-armored reploid nodded, stood on the teleportation pad and vanished.

* * *

Zero was lying on his bed, but sleep would not come. Not that it really mattered. After almost a century of hibernation, even if he was mostly oblivious, sleep was the last thing he really wanted to do. Since his original memories were lost, he recalled every single event of the previous day, the first day of his new life.

_I am build for battle and that is a fact. In fact, it felt good while I was fighting. Had it always felt so good?_

His hand extended to reach his saber from a small table within his reach. The touch of this weapon felt so strange yet so familiar at the same time. Scanning the flawless, silver tube, his eyes fell on the two letters, elegantly carved on it. The "Z" initial was obvious, but what about the "W". He ignited the blade, filling the room with an eerie green light. His armor that laid discarded on a chair, was now black under the emerald light. He stood inanimate for a long time, his eyes lost in the tiny pulses running along the surface of the beam weapon, as if expecting answers but receiving none.

At long last, he checked his internal clock, realizing it was almost morning. Deactivating the saber, he rose to his feet and summoned his armor with a thought, the pieces disappearing and reappearing on his body. As soon as he made the slightest noise, two dark tiny and still forms on a table came to life, illuminating the room.

"Good morning, you two", he said as he walked to the door.

"Good morning, Zero. Have you slept well?"

"Hi there, red boy. Ready to scrap some cannon fodder?"

"Isis, such thoughts of war and destruction are inappropriate for the beginning of another grand day."

"Perhaps, but he **is** gonna scrap some cannon fodder."

"That's beside the point!"

Ignoring the elves, Zero exited the chamber, heading towards the data room. Many reploids greeted him and he returned the gesture, though it became boring after the fifth one. Ciel was already there, examining some rough schematics, apparently depicting a wide area. As soon as the red reploid entered the room, she greeted him warmly, smiling all the time.

Zero just nodded, prompting the young scientist to state the mission's plan.

"I want you to destroy the main reploid disposal center. We have been trying to do that for a long time, but the toll has been great. We learned that today at noon, a large number of innocent reploids will be executed. Neo-Arcadia, knowing we will target the facility, has placed a high rank military official in charge. That is all. I will be assisting you from here as much as possible."

Isis and Siri phased through the floor. "So this is actually a suicidal mission with a time limit that nobody else, even in groups has ever succeeded in. Sounds like fun!"

"Isis, that's rude!"

Ciel's gaze fell to the floor. "Unfortunately Isis is right, Zero. I'll understand if you..."

Zero interrupted her. "Don't worry, Ciel. I'll go immediately."

"Can I come along, Zero?", asked Siri pleadingly. "I promise I won't hinder you."

Isis kicked her from behind. "We both go with him, either he wants it or not. Right cute boy?"

Zero mentally stopped himself from smiling. "Do what you like..."

"Off we go!", shouted Isis and rushed forward, pulling Siri along and bumping on the wall, having forgotten to phase out.

As Zero shook his head, Ciel spoke again. "Please be careful, Zero."

With only a nod, the crimson hunter followed the hyped cyber-elf and her unwilling companion.

* * *

Axl, his forehead blue orb shedding abundant light, navigated through the long forgotten, pre Elf wars caves below Neo-Arcadia. The brittle tunnel should have collapsed a long time ago, but it somehow remained intact-barely.

Reaching a fork, both ways going towards the same direction, he reached for his comm. "What are you two doing there! Which is the right way?"

"_B...both of them lead to your destination, Axl. However, the left one is full of pits and natural spikes, while the right one might c...collapse any second."_

Axl sighed. "Oh, great fun... I have to choose between being buried alive or being skewed and crashed. Hell, I prefer skewing...", he said, picking the left tunnel.

In the next twenty minutes, he casually passed above ten close-to-bottomless pits, some really sharp rock formations and a couple of collapsing tunnels, that sealed the way he came from.

"Hey, you said this tunnel wouldn't collapse!", he shouted to his comm. while dancing around an avalanche of falling rocks.

_"I did not! I m...merely said the other would collapse for sure..."_

"Figures..."

At long last, the black tiger reached a massive metal wall that blocked his path.

"You have reached Neo-Arcadia's basement, Axl. This wall is p...protected. You will need something powerful."

"How about a large explosive shot?"

_"Axl! This is an infiltration m...mission in case you forgot. Use your close range parabolic cutting laser."_

"It was a joke, Case. Jeez, you sure are stiff as always." Axl sailed through the ocean of DNA data he had been accumulating for many decades and selected an appropriate one. His left arm morphed into a bulky laser emitter and a thin blue laser beam licked the material before him silently and efficiently. Some minutes later, he passed through a small hole and into a dim-lit chamber, resembling a storage room, filled with crates and random machinery. Before he could take another step, he heard a low voice.

"Yes, I will use your power. I will free you and look for your mother, too. You are invaluable. I will use your power for good, of course. She will be impressed. She will be mine. You will help me, my precious cyber-elf."

Curiosity leading his actions, Axl suppressed his laughter and peeked from behind a stack of crates. He saw a machine, featuring a great glass globe with a light dancing in it. Before the contraption stood a lone male reploid with long blond locks, wearing a pink cape and a brass helmet. The seemingly oblivious reploid noticed him as well, the mere proximity with the baby elf giving Elpizo supernatural senses.

Axl fired a string of small stunning shots, meaning to quickly knock out the unwanted witness. His opponent, no novice in battle, drew his beam rapier and swiftly deflected the shots. Axl switched weapons and released a great fireball that illuminated the chamber. Elpizo jumped behind the elf-holding machine and the fiery shot connected, smashing the glass globe and deactivating the machine's forcefield. Some of the flames licked the now-freed baby elf and it shrieked in a high-pitched voice. As on cue, Elpizo jumped above the flames, a crazed look in his eyes.

"You hurt it you idiot", he screamed, dashing forward and jabbing his rapier continuously towards Axl. The black hunter, unbalanced and not expecting such a berserk rush, tried to dodge the purple-pink blade, only a single jab connecting and causing him superficial damage. Morphing his left hand into a beam sickle emitter, he blocked the rapier with a blazing blue blade, while charging the pistol in his right hand and delivering a huge stunning blast at point blank. Elpizo flew backwards, his body racked by luminous waves of electricity, causing him to enter standby mode.

Axl debated whether to terminate him or to spare him for a while, then shrugged and touched Elpizo's helmet. Some seconds later he assumed Elpizo's form and walked out of the room, leaving the original to sleep and looking disgustedly at his new attire.

* * *

Leviathan was bored out of her mind, but had to remain in the command center in case of an emergency, being the only guardian left behind Neo-Arcadia's walls.

"Anything unusual, operator?", she asked for perhaps the hundredth time.

"No, Lady Leviathan. Everything is in order."

Sighing, her gaze drifted from security screen to security screen lazily. _Damn you Sage. You get your fun, going a trip and scolding Fef and I get to stay here. I seriously need something to do._

One of the screens piqued her attention. Elpizo, the infamous and reputably clumsy errant boy was doing a pathetic attempt of stealth, oblivious to the security camera hidden behind him. Leviathan smiled wickedly._ That jerk is up to something. Whatever it is, it ought to provide some amusement. I want to see what kind of excuse he will conjure for not working again..._

She walked out of the room, ignoring the operator's meek protests and making her way towards the basement, moving rabidly.

At the same instant, a crimson reploid exited the Resistance base's great red gate, followed by twin floating lights.

* * *

Not really an action chapter, but I always thought Zero decided to help Ciel too fast. About the cyber-elves, I hope you don't hate Isis and Siri. Since Zero isn't quite the talkative type, I have to provoke him somehow... 6.6

Apart from the obvious reference to LOTR, there is a subtle Zelda one. Find it, if you can...

**To mad-man: **Thanks for the link. I can't imagine pushing a lever, but, oh well. I used 'orb' again, though this time it's more appropriate, Axl's gem being a sphere.

**To Cyclonus1: **New reviewer! Welcome! Zero will be doing that a lot;-)

**To Shadow Enigma:** I believe this chapter was less intense but quite funnier. I like writing creative battle scenes. Simple shoot/ slash just doesn't appeal to me...

**To ** **PhiloWorm: **I will write more logs... Sometime;-) It is a fact that Zero's sleep ended prematurely. We'll just have to see if Cap. Exploits that in the future... Your muses couldn't enter my mighty fortress. They are caught in a boobytrap right now... And it's a 'he', please. No gender confusion needed...

**To zidetprincess1:** Girl, remember to BREATH... Glad you like it...

**To Lotus: **I hope the relative lack of action doesn't bother you. Don't worry about the cheese. From where I come from, it has no bad meanings...

**To Myhi: **I liked C. Crusade, but the end was ugly. I'm not against not-so-happy-ends, but that was something else... Axl is a minor player, even though he's back...

**To MyGBAcanTalk: **At last I found you! Damn stupid lost mails... Only crimson buttons, please. And away from the green lights, they are sharp...

**To Uzu-chan: **Woah, two chapters in one day! Plus the three random ones. Are you sure you are alive? Yep, that was Hellbat. Along with Cerberian and Foxtar... I owned that to Foxtar 6.6... If you can think a better way to justify MMZ3's ending, go ahead and try;-)  
The spell checker will wail... And about your prediction, you are in for a nasty surprise...

Unfortunate notice: During July and August, I'm forced to remain away from anything with a keyboard against my will. If I survive the torture, I'll be back in September. Woe is me and woe is you all. You have been warned...


	12. The raider and the spy

Yes, it took me more than usual, I'm lazy...

Since you want Axl to hit on Levi, I can include it somehow, though it won't be what you expected...

* * *

Chapter 12: The raider and the spy

"Watch out! There is a nasty pit full of huge spikes ahead!"

Zero raised a brow but didn't bother to respond to the cyber-elf, being more concerned in clearing said pit. The third presence had no such problems, being gifted with the ability to float.

"Are you really serious, Siri? Stop stating the obvious! This pit is visible from a mile away, for crying out loud!"

"You can never be sure! What if we somehow miss it? What if we need to retreat? What if..."

She was cut short by numerous raindrops, heralding the impending storm.

"You really are under the weather, Siri. Mighty Zero can take care of himself. Just enjoy the action."

"What action do you...?"

As on cue, a yellow flying patrolling mechaniloid appeared above them, followed by four pantheon hunters. Zero's comm. came to life "_Can you hear me Zero? Watch out for the spikeballs"_

A second later, the yellow mechaniloid started bombarding the red hunter with large green metal balls, their surface filled with spikes. Zero sidestepped, avoiding the first, then jumped over a second just in time to avoid a barrage of plasma shots that reduced it to scrap. His buster appeared in his hand faster than anybody could follow and the first X-droid found his hand cannon overloaded, one of the crimson hunter's shots having entered it. The ensuing explosion deactivated the drone and threw its three companions off balance. A green blade erupted out of a crimson blur and the middle pantheon found his lower body detached from his higher, the last sensory input before oblivion. The hunter leaped between the last two ground enemies slashing upwards, just in time to severe another spikeball cleanly in the middle, the two heavy pieces falling on both of his sides and scraping the droids. Zero turned his buster upwards to deal with the airborne enemy, releasing a thick sting of shots. Most of them connected, but instead of dealing damage they bounced off harmlessly.

"Damn, again this buster in insufficient", muttered the scarlet hunter, trying to find a way to bring the bothersome mechaniloid down. A memory chose the moment to resurface.

_Zero walked into the training hall, checking on the rookies who had recently been accepted into the Maverick hunters. Most of them were targeting simple, level one targets from a distance, missing half of the time. Before he could voice his disapproval of such inefficiency, his eyes focused on a lone blue reploid. After a moment of thought, he remembered his name. Zero approached X and regarded his actions. The rookie hunter was targeting high level shielded targets and though his mark was mostly true, his shots failed to cause damage, being absorbed by the shield instead. X continued nonetheless, trying to overpower the energy fields with pure speed. Zero approached him and coughed to catch his attention. X jumped in astonishment, turned around and his eyes grew wide._

"_Good morning, sir!", he said, saluting formally._

_Zero returned the gesture. "Good morning, X. I see you are hard at it. Why are you targeting so advanced targets? I don't believe you have yet been trained for that."_

_X smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry about that, commander but I have exhausted the lower level targets. I thought I could do that, but it seems I'm not ready yet."_

_Zero regarded the rest of the rookies and one of the trainers reprimanding them because of poor performance. _

"_You are better than that ruble, at least. Now show me your best shot, I want to see your mark." Reaching for a control panel, Zero inputted a sequence of commands and a multitude of moving targets started floating around them, while a high-energy protective field surrounded the duo._

"_B..but, commander Zero. If I do that, I might accidentally shoot you too."_

_Zero smiled. "That is part of the test, X. In real combat you have to watch for both enemies and allies. Don't hold back"_

_X nodded determined and started shooting with unmatched precision. Zero stood close to him indifferently, ignoring the plasma shots that passed close to hi, never touching him. Some minutes later, all the targets were down and an exhausted X collapsed to the floor on his knees, sweat covering him._

_Zero helped him to rise again. "You did well, rookie, though you must work on that endurance of yours. Now let me show you something."_

_Zero's gauntlet formed into his buster and the weapon started shinning and producing a high-pitched noise. "You see, X, our hand busters have similar design. Right now I'm collecting energy inside the integrated buster capacitor. I bet you can do it too if you try. This is called charging and not everyone can do it. Pay attention now."_

_Zero pointed his now shinning buster towards one of the shielded targets X had been trying to destroy. A large plasma shot, three times larger than a regular one, descended upon the target, shredding the shield and detonating the interior effortlessly._

_Zero turned to X, whose mouth was hanging open. "Your turn, rookie. Concentrated the energy, be sure you aim right, hold the power in check and then release it."_

_X gulped but walked forward, forming his buster and following his mentor's instructions._

_An hour later, all shielded targets were reduced to scrap. Zero nodded his approval, then turned to leave. As an afterthought, he regarded X, who was sprawled on a chair, panting heavily, a smile on his face. "Oh, and before I forget it, you have my vouch for becoming a rank D hunter. I'm actually allowing you to skip rank E. And, you know, high commander Sigma rarely ignores my vouches..."_

_Zero left before X could register what had just happened._

Zero felt mild heat. He blinked once and regarded his hand. Tiny flames were dancing on the surface and Isis was flying close. Her body flashed for a moment and a tiny firebolt hit his hand again.

"Have you zoned out again, Z? Jeez, snap out of it! That thing will be back any second."

Zero regarded Isis "Can you produce fire?"

The elf smiled "I like burning things down", she said, with a not-so-sane voice.

"Incoming!", shouted Siri.

Zero hopped out of the way as another spiked ball fell from the sky, while Isis phased out letting herself pass through it harmlessly.

_Can I do that with my buster? Like I said to that X. Collect energy, aim carefully, keep it in check, then release it._

"Hey, any ideas to get rid of that pain in the...". Isis stopped short, as Zero's body shinned a bit, energy collecting in his buster. Aiming at the flying foe, he released a large, second level charged shot, then another one. The first made a hole on the mechaniloid's armor, the second dived deeper, summarily disabling the machine and causing it to crush.

"Why didn't you do that from the beginning, you jerk?", shouted Isis, impressed despite herself.

Siri floated close. "That's wonderful, Zero! You remembered how to charge your buster! Your memory is returning."

Zero sighed, then regarded his weapon. "Memories return, but too slowly. At least I remember things when I need them..."

* * *

Axl swore profanely under his breath. "Damn, this body must be custom work. Much better than the norm, annoying features and too damn difficult to learn to control", he muttered. "I might as well stop trying stealth and walk casually. Who knows were they might have hidden security cameras."

His comm. came to life. "_...Signal... weak... don't have... passcodes... read me?"_

"Barely, Case. Where should I go now?"

"_...not sure... try... second...ridor... left."_

"Hope I haven't lost anything important", muttered Axl, entering the second corridor on his left. The welcoming sight of a sign reading "auxiliary data room" caught his sight, the black tiger dressed in pink sighing in relief. Following the sign, he reached a massive, fortified metal door, an input pad next to it. He quickly connected a tiny device to it, giving remote access to Case and Font.

"All yours guys!"

Five minutes later, Axl exited the data room, his mission accomplished, the door shutting tight behind him. Before he could walk away, he heard a voice.

"And what would my dear Elpizo be doing here, may I ask?"

Axl turned abruptly to regard a female reploid dressed in thin blue, white and golden armor, failing to realize the irony hiding behind her shinning smile and sweet voice.

_Damn, she must be his girlfriend. The guy wasn't a fag after all. Calm down, Axl. Try to respond properly. Don't mess this up. You don't want to hurt an innocent girl. How would that idiot respond..._

"Nothing important, luv. Just go and I'll catch up with you later", he said, winking.

Leviathan, the azure mistress of ice, regarded Axl curiously, astonishment turning to anger rabidly. Keeping her facade, she continued in similar tone.

"Are you sure you don't need help, Elpizo?", she said, her voice dripping honey.

_Ok, Axl boy. You got that right. She is convinced. They must be lovers, too. It's a risk I have to take. What would be the worst that could happen? A puny slap on the face? Heh, I can live with that._

"Not at all, dear. You know how capable I can be better than most."

Leviathan maintained her smile-barely-, her right eye twitching, then balled her hand into a fist and shot forward. Axl registered the start of the move, but decided not to dodge, to maintain his cover. Then he blinked, when the fist disappeared from his sight faster than he could follow. Axl found himself flying, then painfully hit a wall, leaving a large dent on the hard surface.

_Damn, what is she made of? And I thought Pallete could be violent,_ he thought, as artificial blood trickled from his mouth. He slowly rose and stared at the not-so-harmless reploid before him.

Leviathan regarded him with murderous eyes, a long harpoon appearing in her hands. "You are dead, you stupid piece of scrap. When have you grown so bold, you pathetic errant boy? I'll show you what you get for messing with one of master X's guardians!"

"Crap!", shouted Axl, as he scurried to side, barely avoiding three insanely fast razor spearheads that were shot from Leviathan's harpoon, wincing as they almost disappeared inside the wall. The blue guardian dashed forward, water spear leading the way. The black tiger formed his arm into a beam blade emitter, a red energy sword blocking the weapon. Axl was pressed hard against the wall, still barely believing Leviathan's strength, then gasped as he saw his normally hot blade being covered by a thin sheet of ice, starting from where it connected with the harpoon. As the sheer cold reached his hand, disabling the emitter, he desperately kicked forward, mentally thankful for the close combat lessons Zero had given him. Leviathan did not expect the move and was thrown backwards but landed smoothly on her feet, her agility compensating for her lack of attention. Axl phased his pistol in his left hand, the heating systems of his right arm still trying to get rid of the ice, and shot a large, charged fire shot. The blue guardian barely managed to avoid it, the mere proximity to such heat affecting her reflexes. She jumped backwards, her feet connecting to the wall behind her, then plunged forward, passing above the fireball and clearing the blast zone before it hit the wall. She again landed on her feet, still a bit stunned and turned to regard Axl, still using Elpizo's form. The black tiger was already on the run. Before he could clear the room, a razor projectile hit him on the back, passing through armor and causing a vicious wound to the synthetic flesh underneath. Shrugging off the pain, he continued to run, trying to get away from the crazed reploid. Leviathan leaned on her spear cursing, the extreme heat having disorientated her systems.

"Damn, that was as hot as Fefnir's shots. I should have raised my internal heat shields...". She stared at the door. "I didn't really intended to kill you, jerk, but that just changed. When I see you again, you are so dead..."

* * *

The beam-blade-severed head of a pantheon, tiny flames dancing on it, sailed through the rain to connect with a mildly burning flying mechaniloid, causing both of them to fell behind an abandoned, ruined torched hover car, while Zero leaped behind a blackened wall, the fires quenched because of the rain, to avoid the plasma shots of more pantheons, parts of their armor smoking, but otherwise unhurt.

Siri sighed. "Why must you set **everything **on fire, Isis?"

The white cyber-elf smiled wickedly as she released another fire shot. "You know me, Siri. When I start, I just can't stop."

Siri scowled. "But you hardly cause any damage!"

"Humph, give me a break, you multicolored lantern. I'm just rusty. Better than doing nothing like you. You haven't helped Z at all!"

"But I..."

"You might not care about him, but I do! Mainly because he makes things go boom, of course."

Siri said nothing, but shot forward, flying towards a pantheon and diving inside its head. Seconds later, she exited again as the lifeless droid fell to the ground.

Isis smiled with glee. "You finally joined the party, though you are just too subtle, Siri", she said, still firing small flames to just everything she saw.

As Zero made short work of the remaining pantheons, his slashes becoming faster and faster by the second, his comm. came to life. "_Ciel here. We have a problem. Between you and your target there is an abandoned hotel. On either side of the building there are heavily fortified bunkers, complete with artillery cannons."_

Zero sighed. "How many exactly, Ciel?"

_"Zero, you can't overpower them so easily! They will blow you to pieces before you get close. You must make a wide circle around the building."_

Zero shook his head, checking his internal clock. "No time, Ciel. If I can't go around the building, I'll just pass through it!"

Ciel gasped. "_But it's swarmed with enemy signatures, Zero, and it might even collapse. It's a virtual maze. This is too..."_

"I'll take my chances, Zero out."

The two cyber-elves approached him, having heard the conversation.

"I must protest, Zero. This is too risky!", said Siri.

"Bah, don't mind her Z. She has been a wuss for as long as I know her. Though I would prefer to take the bunkers, that ruin ought to be exiting, too."

"But he might get hurt."

"Shut up! More things to burn in there and this rain has started giving on my nerves."

* * *

#Rebooting...

#System check, completed. Unit on-line.

Elpizo opened his eyes wearily, trying to chase away the dizziness. As soon as he remembered what had knocked him unconscious, he shot upwards and scanned the room frantically. The only presence inside the storage chamber was the baby elf, now flying freely and aimlessly around the room. Elpizo smiled as he strove to fix his hair, caressing them with his hands.

"Perhaps that idiot did more good than bad, after all. I couldn't open that globe myself", he muttered. Reaching for his pocket, he produced a small energy crystal package and extended his hand towards the elf. The entity let out an incomprehensible, joyful shrill shout and snatched the morsel from the pink reploid's hand.

Elpizo smiled. "I believe we will become great friends...", he said, his voice dreamy.

A moment later, some speakers from the corridor came to life: "_Attention to all personnel. Possible Maverick reploid sighting inside Neo-Arcadia's command center. The subject, named Elpizo, is to be captured or eliminated if resists. Fairy Leviathan out."_

Said possible Maverick stood still for some seconds, realization slowly crashing in. Then he turned and regarded the baby elf that was circling around him and the large hole on the wall that Axl had opened. Thinking fast, he grabbed some Energy tanks that laid randomly inside the room and scurried away along with the baby elf.

* * *

The eight pantheons that were patrolling in one of the dim corridors of the ruined building, stopped suddenly as a faraway noise demanded their attention. Some rabid plasma discharges were followed by a multitude of small explosions, then silence dominated their sensors. Seconds later, they heard a loud sound, resembling rocks collapsing, then some more explosions, closer to them this time, then silence again. Following their directives, the drones assumed offensive stances, ready to strike at any impending menace. The crimson menace was too much for their directives.

Twin lights emerged from the wall to their right, passing right before them with unreal speed, then disappeared into the left wall. Before they could respond, the barrier to their right erupted as if because of an explosion. Zero plunged through the flimsy wall, his left fist leading the way, his right hand wielding a sizzling Z-saber. Hardly stopping, he burst through the opposite wall and landed into the next room, then resumed following the elves. As soon as the X-droids registered what that scarlet missile was, they attempted to follow, only to find themselves severed cleanly at waist height.

Hearing the ensuing explosions behind them, Isis smiled, phasing through another wall. "You have to admit, Siri, this is the fastest way to our destination. And really fun to boot."

The iridescent elf sighed as they passed before yet another pantheon patrol. "It's rush and barbaric and unnecessarily violent, but if it means we get to save innocents in time, so be it."

"Why won't you admit you are having fun, too?", asked Isis, reveling into the sound of walls breaking.

"Not in a million years", scowled Siri, hiding a feint smile as more explosions resounded behind them.

At long last, Zero exited the rundown building, decapitating the two last X-droids in the process, and regarded his surroundings, letting the ever intensifying storm to clean his crimson armor from the gray dust, the only evidence left of the demolished barriers behind him. Far away, he could see the mighty walls of Neo-Arcadia, the great bastion of civilization and the utopia gone awry. But his imminent target was a much older building, a sea of debris, pieces of old technology and ruins away. The major reploid disposal center.

Copy X had chosen this particular location, one of the few still standing buildings of old Arcadia, so that few humans or reploids inside the actual city would know. For the public, this was a detainment and correction center, where Maverick and extremist 'tendencies' were 'disposed' and cured. Few knew the 'patients' died in the process and most residents wouldn't bother or dare to leave the city to confirm. X, the great hero of many centuries was well trusted and well loved, after all.

Zero touched the side of his helm, as if flipping an invisible switch, then spoke to his comm. "We cleared the old building without major trouble. I have visual contact with the target."

A loud sigh of relief resounded from his helmet. "_Thank god you are okay, Zero. Please don't do anything so dangerous again."_

Zero hide a smile that the young scientist wouldn't be able to see anyway. "I will consider it... Any pointers?"

"_Few of us had ever reached so close, but I detect energy signals between you and the target. Be careful, Zero."_

Isis flew above Zero's helm. "Yeah, yeah, we'll take care of him. Heck, since now I only had Siri to bother my fun. Now I have to deal with two wet blankets."

The red bomber ignored the twin groans, one from behind him, one from his helm, and simply dashed forward, his awareness focused. And a good thing it was. Hearing a weird noise, he quickly leaped to the side, just in time to avoid a rain of debris and a salvo of plasma bolts, as a high turret tower erupted from one of the scrap piles. Ducking behind of an ancient wreck of a truck, the crimson hunter tried to determine a course of action, as the tower's multiple cannons were systematically reducing his cover into nothingness.

The two elves came close to him.

"Any ideas to shut this thing down", he asked.

Isis frowned. "Do something without our help, Z. We can't even enter that thing, its circuitry is protected."

Siri nodded. "We can't affect it, but you can. A charged shot on its sensor should do the trick for a while."

Zero dared to steal a glance above his shelter and pinpointed the device Siri mentioned, but had to duck immediately to avoid the next shots.

"Damn, this thing is fast", he muttered. His gaze sailed around him, to the old buildings behind him, the piles of scrap, the discarded machinery and the truck he was hiding behind, stopping at a particular object on said truck that had somehow survived intact. Not having many other choices, he tried an outlandish plan.

The tower's sensor picked a small object moving upwards from behind the place the enemy was, and locked on it. One of the truck's mirrors. Before the barrage could reach it, a charged plasma shot followed the mirror's path, collided with the reflecting surface, shattering it into a million pieces in the process, and was unerringly deflected right on the tower's sensor. The device was heavily shielded and, though the shield was weakened, the fragile components inside were unharmed. Nonetheless, the heat and light blinded the mechanical eye for nothing more than a second. It managed to deliver two plasma shots to the dashing hunter, before a green blade sliced trice and the contraption was added to the rest of the debris.

"Are you alright, Zero?", asked Siri urgently.

"Just fine", responded the crimson bomber absentmindedly, as he resumed his dash, ignoring the scorch marks on his armor.

"I told you our boy is invincible, didn't I"

* * *

Sage Harpuia, the first guardian of Neo-Arcadia, sighed, regarding the blue sky out of the transport helicopter's window. He would have preferred to fly back to Neo-Arcadia alone. He had much to think about and the fresh air rushing past his face during a flight cleared his mind and made him feel free, if only for a while. He had found he needed to feel that freedom much more often during those last years. However, since Fefnir, along with a small squadron, was returning too, it would be inefficient to use his own thrusters that would barely allow him to reach the city, anyway.

Removing his helmet and passing a hand through his emerald hair, he reflected upon the events of the last months, such moments of solitude becoming more and more rare.

_It shouldn't bother me. I had to personally retire ten reploids and arrest many more those last months, but it shouldn't bother me. They were Mavericks and my job is to protect the humans. It's not my place to question my duty. I am merely a tool, I am loyal to master X. He knows better and he is wise, isn't he..._

A nudge on his side relieved him of answering that question, fearing the answer would be negative. Part thankful, part annoyed, he turned to face the distraction, looking at him with red, questioning eyes.

"What's on your mind?"

A simple question, coming from the red guardian beside him. Simple yet so difficult to answer, always difficult. It was well known that the mighty green lord of the skies always placed duty above anything and everything else. But was that really true? More importantly, **should** that be really true.

Harpuia phrased his response carefully. "Fefnir, why do you think Ciel is now our enemy?"

The red guardian scratched the back of his head. "Maybe she found a boyfriend in the Resistance", he responded chuckling.

The jade reploid sighed. "I was serious, Fefnir."

The fire lord lost his smile and his gaze went downwards. "Perhaps she does not approve of everything master X is doing. Perhaps she thinks he is wrong. Since he returned, he is... changed."

Harpuia had again to select his word carefully. He abhorred of manipulating his friend- brother- in such ways, leading him to reveal what he truly believed, but he needed to know. He needed to know he wasn't alone. Phantom's change had a great impact on him, greater that he would suspect or admit. Before Copy X's interference, Phantom was his best friend and pillar, the person on which he counted the most. And Leviathan had grown distant and apathetic. Her behavior might have been nonchalant, almost childlike, as always, but she would not discuss freely anymore. The green guardian couldn't help but feel partly responsible.

"Wrong in what ways, Fefnir?", he asked after a pause, trying to keep his voice casual, as if he was only partly into the conversation.

"Well, I can't say for sure", muttered Fefnir, hesitantly. He returned a weak smile to his nephrite-armored friend. "I can't really pretend I'm smart enough I understand everything Ciel, or you for the matter, thinks."

Harpuia almost gasped aloud. _Is that really true, Fefnir? You just parried my question with communication skills far better your claim would suggest. Was it pure luck? Or have you been thinking as hard as I have?_

"Anyway", continued the scarlet guardian, "I hope at least that Zero will pose a challenge worthy of his reputation even without his memory. Those Resistance reploids are so boring to fight."

The green lord silently shared the hopes of his companion, but for quite different a reason. A powerful enemy would allow him to convince himself what he was doing was not heartless butchery but justified defense. Those last years he certainly needed such convincing.

* * *

A female medical reploid, dressed in white and pink, rushed forward, attempting to take a sharp turn to the main corridor from one of the numerous subcorridors connected to it. Such a sight was familiar, in the Neo-Arcadian palace that doubled as a command center and army base. Small skirmishes with rogue mechaniloids where almost constant and sometimes some of the troopers were hurt, medical assistance greatly needed.

Fairy Leviathan was dashing at full speed down the corridor, her sensors scanning her surroundings for the energy signature of a certain pink-clad reploid, being oblivious to anything else. The blue guardian was not really angry anymore, just a bit confused about Elpizo's unexpected fighting ability. In fact, now that she had calmed down, she was thankful for the opportunity to escape from the stillness of the command center, engaging on a wild goose hunt instead. Her mind was also occupied. _Perhaps he is not so useless, after all. If I don't kill him when I see him, I might even recruit him in the Mekai army. He could be useful. In many ways..._

Both reploids were running.

Both were oblivious.

The laws of physics were merciless.

The collision was inevitable.

Leviathan blinked twice, trying to understand why she was lying on the floor. Her eyes fell on the medical reploid that was in similar state, if not worse.

"I...I'm s...so s...sorry mistress. I w...was in a h...hurry and..."

Leviathan regained her composure swiftly, rising to her feet again, hints of a smile on her face. "Don't worry, I will be merciful. I was also in a hurry and I believe there are injured soldiers that require you aid", she responded in highly formal and pompous tone.

"T...thank you", muttered the medical reploid, rising too and bowing repeatedly.

The blue guardian liked feeling important like that, wanting desperately to prove she was worthy of her station but never admitting she had such insecurities.

"Just don't make it a habit", she added smiling impishly before resuming her dash.

The medical reploid sighed in relief, then continued running. Instead of heading towards the maintenance center, the most probable place she would be needed, the white reploid scurried towards the exit of the grant palace. The guards entertained thoughts of trying to stop her, but seeing the urgency on her face and her attire, they just let her pass unquestioningly.

An hour later, one of the soldiers patrolling outside the walls of Neo-Arcadia strayed away from his predetermined path as soon as his companions where out of reach. Making sure he was far enough, he reached for his comm. and was subsequently teleported away.

At the same time, somebody discovered a tied and gagged female medical reploid in one of the rarely used rooms in Neo-Arcadia's command center. And soon afterwards a commander reprimanded one of his soldiers for taking a nap during duty time, despite his desperate claims of being immobilized by a medical reploid.

Axl assumed his original form as soon as he stepped away from the teleportation pad. "Mission accomplished", he declared smiling.

* * *

Zero had just removed the last of the turret towers that separated him from his target and was now standing before the entrance of the old building.

"_The disposal center is just behind this hatch. Be careful Zero"_

Zero muttered a response to Ciel and entered the building, his mind focused on the impending battle he knew he would have to fight. The two cyber-elves followed him surprisingly quietly, the ambient uneasiness dominating the interior apparently affecting them. A slight, barely distinguishable mixture of smells dominated the building, but the red hunter knew what it was all very well. Smell of exposed computer circuits, lubricant, scrapped metal and reploid blood. And the smell of fear.

After a while, their progress not in the least hindered, the trio reached another heavy door, the sound of heavy machinery emitting from behind. The scene inside was strangely fitting to the aura the place radiated. The floor of the room was actually a huge pressure plate, shielded spikes adorning its opposite surface. Great rails and gears embedded in the walls allowed it to ascend and descend slowly but the power it would apply to anything under it was enough to flatten everything but the most resilient of objects. Quite below the looming plate, in the place were objects for disposal were meant to be placed, Zero could see at least twenty reploids, some of them, pacing around frantically, others banging on the unyielding walls, many of them shouting at the top of their artificial lungs and many others just siting silently, having accepted their cruel fate. Before the crimson hunter could conjure a way to free the prisoners, soon to be scrap, a second door opened and a tall, animal-like reploid walked in.

The newcomer resembled a flying beast, his white and golden feet featuring sharp claws, his green and blue torso slim, blade-like wings instead of arms. His golden head, full with a bird-like, curved beak, turned to regard the scarlet reploid, contempt evident in his red, predatory eyes. What might have been a smile dominated his face, a face that could hardly show emotion.

"My name is Aztec Falcon, proud soldier of Neo-Arcadia under First guardian Sage Harpuia, second only to master X. You are trespassing and you are to either leave at once or be retired as I see fit."

Zero regarded the pompous reploid for some time without blinking, letting the desperate cries of the reploids below to fill the silence. His voice was sharp and emotionless.

"I won't be leaving this place alone", he simply responded.

Aztec Falcon chuckled. "Indeed you won't", he teased. The Neo-Arcadian commander reached for a remote in his belt, pressing a sequence of buttons rabidly, despite lacking proper fingers. The machinery around them came to life, the pressure plate slowly descending to crush what was beneath it. "I will do away with you and those Maverick scum at the same time."

"You filthy joke of a reploid, come here so I can beat you up!", shouted Isis, while Siri was desperately trying to hold her back.

Zero turned to the cyber-elves. "Try to find a way to stop or at least slow down this thing", he muttered urgently.

"What about you, Zero? We must help you with this enemy. You are not strong enough yet."

"Yeah, the rainbowy here has a point. You can't have all the fun, Z."

"Saving them is the priority. You would be no match for him, anyway."

Isis went to say something, but then regarded the now erratically behaving reploids beneath them and complied, following Siri and diving inside the massive machinery.

"So, are you ready, blond boy?", mocked Aztec Falcon, electricity cackling on his arms.

"Give me your best shot, beakface", responded Zero, unholstering his buster with his left hand and keeping his right hand ready.

The two reploids stared at each other for a second, then both rushed ahead towards their adversary, their eyes locked on each other.

* * *

Don't kill me for the cliffhanger. The chapter was a bit smaller than usual, but I wanted to stop there 6.6 . The Zelda reference was the pictograph from M's mask and the LOTR was Elpizo with the baby elf... Yes, the mirror stunt was a bit cheesy, but let's say it was a bulletproof mirror...

**To mad-man:** Will you be updating soon, then?;-D You are responsible for the Axl-Levi interaction. People should know who to kill now;-) I will post a bio...Sometime... Till then, consider it as a quiz...

**To MyGBAcanTalk: **Congratulations! (you know why;-) These elves won't just agree to be used. They are not ordinary elves... If you press all the buttons, you will teleport to the scariest placed of the universe-my room (insert cheesy laughter here.)

**To Shadow Enigma:** yes, I try not to make every chapter action-ridden. It would get boring... If it isn't already, that is... You will haunt me? No biggie, I have more vengeance ghosts following me than Aragorn himself;-)

**To PhiloWorm: **I'll consider new armors after I do away with form changes. As for new powers, of course! When Zero remembers the basics, I'll give him some original stuff. Right now I'm torn between a Lifeaura and an AT field (All anime fans should know what an AT field is;-). I might find some cool ideas, but I mainly type on the spot...I couldn't put Elf piss interrupting because I wanted him to leave Neo-Arcadia. Now I have another stroryline to follow. Traps are the least your fellowship will have to face. Ever heard of dungeon keeper? I'm worse. They now have to face my pet Barlong, wearing the Minish cap and Majora's mask XD.

**To Myhi:** Not my trouble, but trouble nonetheless. Ever heard about the vacation-close–to-nature-away-from-technology concept? This is worse because of lack of nature... I might yet luck out, but it would be easier if I knew how to cook. Ciel and I;-)  
Only seen CC anime, but the story must be similar... Read the fic you recommended just before your review. And sent her a 2000 words mail-review XD. Of course we take ideas. We can't reinvent the Wheel each time...  
Oh, and you forgot to tell me what you think of the cyber-elves. Love, hate, whatever? Writing on paper won't work :-(

**To zidet: **(calls an ambulance) Just stay put, they'll save you;-) Glad you liked the elves. I have plans for them. Keep going TOO.


	13. Shocking battle

Alright! Since nobody killed me because of the last chapter, let's proceed with the 'lucky' 13th one;-) A good thing I don't actually believe such stuff... I would have posted that two days earlier, but FFnet was in read-only mode...

* * *

Chapter 13: Shocking battle

The rain continued to fall relentlessly, turning the mildly radioactive ground into mud. The sun, invisible behind the thick veil of blackish clouds, barely managed to produce anything more than pale background light. Tiny streams of muddy water were already created around the ever-present debris, no flora existing to keep the impending flood at check. Lightning occasionally illuminated the bleak scene, the ensuing booming sounds the only noteworthy audio signal.

Suddenly, the wet soil started to shift, at first slightly, then urgently. A mud-covered hand emerged from within, heralded by a black, floating light. The owner of the hand followed seconds later, half digging, half swimming out of the wasteland-turned-swamp. He lied flat on his chest for some minutes panting heavily, not having any choice but ignore the storm for a while, fatigue dominating him.

At long last, the figure rose to his feet with quite an effort and regarded his surroundings. Far away he saw the immense and unyielding fortress that was Neo-Arcadia, great walls and high turret towers surrounding it, gates sealed because of the storm. The world around him was one of mud, remains of discarded technology, carcasses of old machinery and black sky. His eyes sailed on his outfit, the once pinkish and golden garment now covered with mud, his blond long curly locks wet and full of brown stains, drenched soil clinging on him.

Elpizo turned to the baby elf floating around him, his voice shaking.

"I have died and went to hell", he muttered. "More importantly, I left my conditioner behind", he added, fretting at how his hair looked.

* * *

_At first, there is darkness. I'm accustomed to that, to the nothingness around me, to the stillness of my thoughts. Then I sense an alarm. My stasis ends prematurely, the energy capsule opening and goading me to step out. I do so, my duty calling for me. The sensory input is a jumbled mess during those first seconds, but I am used to it. My design has the capacity of sleeping, emulating the human process, but I prefer using the capsule. When sleeping, dreams play inside my circuits. I prefer oblivion. It's much easier to do your duty when you don't have distracting thoughts, distracting dreams..._

_And, also, it is really awkward to sleep in an actual bed when you can't remove your armor. Armor. That was a joke, actually. It is part of my body, the body of a reploid. They say reploids are free beings, free to live by their choices. _

_I feel the energy provided by the capsule surging inside me, so that I have no need of conventional nourishment. It's not that I can't digest those human foods, it just isn't practical. My body might be a powerful weapon, but it is pointless to try and live the way a human does. Live by their choices. Well, that's not true for me and many other Mutos reploids, for the matter. We are build for combat, we incorporate breakthrough achievements and our sole reason of existence is to follow orders and protect the humans. _

_It's not that I dislike my job. I'm a high ranking officer in the ranks of the world's greatest power and I'm proud of that. I managed to rise from the ruble of nameless soldiers, hone my skills up to and beyond my estimated potential and I am content. Most of the time. But, of course, even if I didn't like what I was doing, I would not abandon my post. Free beings... I look at my body again. My feet end in sharp claws, perfect for battle, but not quite good for anything else. My arms are wings that double as electric blades. Designed to be lethal weapons, but not capable of delicate work. Sure, I can grab things and cleave foes in half, but not much else. Even if I wanted to leave, there would be no place for me._

_Sometimes I feel jealousy. I see my mentor, commander and, perhaps, friend, the mighty first guardian, Sage Harpuia. I am one of the few he trusts enough beyond his siblings to let some of his thought slip. Of course I envy his fighting abilities. I occasionally spar with him and I know his power, his sheer overwhelming ability. Few can match him in battle, intelligence or wisdom. He is a fierce warrior, a dedicated soldier, an accomplished researcher and a brilliant strategist, much more than I could ever hope to achieve. But I am jealous of him for a different reason. His body is almost human. When he removes his armor, he can easily pass for a human, live exactly like a human would, experience almost everything a human could. _

_He usually keeps his thoughts closed, but after fighting next to him for so long, I can understand what he thinks. Everybody at the higher ranks whispers about master X's change, how he is not acting like himself. I don't want to question my orders, for that is why I exist and I don't mind what they are. Master Harpuia thinks that not all of those supposed Mavericks are truly that. I can see that, though he won't utter it. Even though he has a choice, he can live as a human, he won't shy from his duty. And that is the only thing I need to know to execute my orders without hesitating for a second._

_I check the alarm report on the screen. I was never brilliant with computers, mainly because input devices hate me. Somebody tries to breach the defenses of the disposal center. Again. My thoughts drift to the reploids that are scheduled to be retired today and that Resistance faction that tries-futilely-to save them. Usually, the only enjoyment in my line of work is because of a work well done. That is the norm. But I actually enjoy retiring those reploids. Not only because of my orders, but also because of what they look like. Most of them are humanlike. They have the potential of greatness. But what have they done? Nothing. Their fighting capabilities are almost nil, their usefulness zero. And yet they can live in this world like a human would._

_I am jealous of my commander, but he is meant to be superior. And I consider him almost a friend. But these lowlifes, that not only oppose the humans, but can also live what I cannot, without even paying a price... Those I hate and really enjoy when their life is crushed out of them._

_More alarm signals come to life as time passes, unusually fast for the Resistance's known capabilities. I can somehow feel this is different from the rest of attempts. The facts confirm my thoughts. Instead of a disorganized jumble of militia, the only thing the sensors can pick is a red blur. I check the energy readings and I see a single great energy spike approaching the center. A lone warrior._

_The path before me is clear. Since the enemy has obtained a strong weapon, it is my duty to destroy it. I grab a tiny remote control from the table, a device that gives me control over the facility's main functions. I flick my wing with accuracy that would seem astonishing to a spectator, but for me is a necessity, and the device gets tucked at belt height. Leaving my temporary quarters, I head to where the prisoners are, to where the intruder will most definitely head. _

_I pass through the last door and I can see him. A lone, humanlike reploid accompanied by two cyber-elves. Strangely enough, the two bothersome entities do not seem to actually be helping him, as they fly free of him. The reploid's appearance is unique, his armor red and black, his eyes a mystery. A voice deep inside me is restless, warning me, but I ignore it and assess the facts. I understand this opponent might oppose a challenge and I'm ready for him. I will fight him out of duty, pride, will and jealousy. In that order. _

_For Neo-Arcadia.

* * *

_

At the last moment, Zero jumped to the side as Aztec Falcon rushed past him at insane speed. The red hunter released a charged buster shot, but his opponent anticipated the move and had placed an energy-shielded wing to intercept the attack. The flying reploid turned almost immediately, a smirk on his face, ready to throw a smug comment. A comment that failed to be delivered, as a kick was delivered on his face instead, throwing him back several meters. Despite the shock, the bird reploid quickly recovered and regarded his opponent carefully.

_Well, I know he is fast, at least. I must not underestimate him._

Blocking a string of rabid plasma shots with one arm blade, he charged his second appendage, energy evident between the two blades. A blue arrow made of pure energy sailed towards the crimson bomber as he deftly dashed below it, jumped over the second one and completely cleared the third one by returning to the ground.

Below them, the crushing plate continued to descend, the screams of the reploids turning into wails. The bedlam, along with the loud noise the machinery emitted, almost completely veiled the high-pitched voices of the two cyber-elves that were trying to buy Zero some time.

"Found it yet, Isis?", asked the multicolored elf urgently.

"Be patient! The machinery is shielded, but I'm sure there is a flaw somewhere here..."

"Try harder! We have to save them!"

"Oh, shut up Siri. You always lose your calm at emergencies and behave erratically... There, I found it. Get your lazy butt here and help me!"

As both elves disappeared inside the machine, Aztec Falcon tried to body-slam Zero again, flying towards him at high speed, his clawed feet nearly touching the ground. The red hunter jumped backwards, connecting with the wall, then kicked his way up the steel-plated surface to avoid the living missile. The flying reploid smiled mentally as he reached the wall, not touching it by a hair's width, then abruptly changed direction moving parallel with the barrier, hardly slowing down. The crimson warrior was caught off guard, losing his grip and painfully hitting the ceiling, then falling back down.

"And this is how it ends!", announced Aztec Falcon as his feet griped the wall and both his wings opened like twin, energy charged scissors, intending to cleave Zero in the middle. A green energy blade intercepted the open jaws, the crimson bomber using his saber as leverage, avoiding the attack and changing his body's position at the same time. With his buster tucked away, he shot his free hand forward, grabbing his enemy's head and kicking at the wall behind them, causing both of them to fall. The second they reached the floor, both adversaries leaped towards opposite directions and turned to regard each other.

Zero was panting slightly, a visible dent on his armor at the point where he had received the slam, Z-saber glowing in his hand, eyes set. Aztec Falcon was moving his head from side to side, some of his neck's synthetic muscles damaged when he was torn down off the wall. He raised his arm blades and then abruptly stopped, eyeing one of his wings incredulously. On the usually flawless metallic surface, a tiny dent was visible, right at the point where his opponent's beam weapon had connected.

_This is impossible! I have been sparring with master Harpuia for years and not even once did his weapons manage to scratch my wings. Just who is this reploid?_

Seconds later, the crushing plate below them stopped moving and Isis emerged from the floor.

"We did it, Z. We stopped the giant juicer", exclaimed the cyber-elf, quite exited. "Now to help you with this chicken-brain."

Aztec Falcon frowned. "You think you have stopped it? You are merely delaying the inevitable", he said, reaching again for his remote. The pressure plated started moving again, this time really slowly, the sound of machinery faint. "I will let gravity do the job. I only have to release the safety brakes and..." He was cut short as a light passed right through his tiny device, causing the remote to blow up in a tiny explosion.

"I won't let you", said Siri, flying close to Zero, her multicolored light shinning bright.

The winged commander scowled. "Even now, I only need to retire your friend here and my orders will be executed in due time. You and your friend cannot help him further."

"I'm still ready to scrap you, birdface", shouted Isis as she started floating towards the foe. A green blade stopped her progress and Zero regarded her frowning.

"You did well, both of you, but this is my fight. You are only getting in the way."

Before Isis could comment that, Siri forcefully dragged her backwards. "Be careful, Zero!", she added while restraining the cocky elf.

* * *

Maha Ganeshariff, the reploid shaped as an elephant, was standing still inside the dim-lit, underground hall, alone and inanimate. At least that would be the impression somebody would extract from the scene. The computer expert's mind was sailing through an ocean of information, a small, decoded percentage of the immense database that was left behind when Zero awakened. The bulky reploid knew it would take him days to decipher all the information, but that wouldn't bother him. Having connected his energy core with one of the still miraculously active energy cables, he could remain like that for years. Dropping in semi-hibernation, he devoted his whole artificial neural network to the task at hand, a possible intruder the last thing he was afraid of. The first guardian had deployed a non-sentient regiment to guard the server reploid and in case of emergency an alarm would come to life.

Such measures would protect the reploid from any imaginable hazard. The presence of X, occupying an impossibly powerful cyber-elf body was not considered an imaginable hazard. The luminous presence phased effortlessly through the chamber's ceiling, then regarded the scene. The large reploid was not known to him, but his function was evident.

_I must not let information about Zero leak. He needs time to regain his power and that darn copy of mine is no fool. As soon as he realizes the threat Zero represents, he will strike fast and hard_. Donning a stealth field to be certain his presence would remain unnoticed, X circled around Maha, trying to find a way to hinder the data recovery. He soon found that, while he had the power to enter forcefully or even disable the reploid, such actions would draw suspicion. X had hundreds of reasons to remain inconspicuous. Searching his surroundings for a solution, his eyes fell on the data wire connecting the laboratory's database to the server reploid. Not losing a second, he phased in the old machinery, then turned his ethereal body to pure energy and code, physically entering the database. 

X opened his eyes and regarded the world around him. He was mildly surprised to find his consciousness inside a digital body that resembled his old one. He had experienced that before, during some of his old missions, but he wasn't sure if he could do that without an actual body jacked in the machine.

_Nevertheless, it feels good to have a body again, even if it is not actually real,_ thought X, flexing his hands and regarding his surroundings. The floor under his feet was transparent, green pulsing lines criss-crossing on it and forming net-like patterns. Below and above the eerie surface, nothingness was the only thing visible, the black chaos occasionally illuminated by a faint glowing light whose source was indefinable. If this place had an end, digital walls blocking the way, such barriers were not visible. Instead, the air around the blue bomber was filled with floating pieces of data code, some of them twisted others fragmented and others invisible, though their presence was evident to him. The only disturbance in this realm he could perceive, was a great hole on the floor, leading into a pipe, formed of the same matter as the floor, that was gradually becoming narrower, its end lost in the darkness. X watched as one of the pieces of data shivered for a second then produced an exact duplicate that was hastily lost inside the depths of the pipe. The azure hunter knew what he had to do. Fearlessly approaching the hole, he plunged in, leaving the ancient database and heading towards the oblivious reploid's server core.

* * *

Zero winced as an electric arrow caught him at the knee, causing shocking waves all over his body, but kept his wits around him, jumping and clinging on the wall behind him to avoid five more arrows his adversary sent. Aztec Falcon was perched on the opposite wall, his claws allowing him to retain his precarious position while both his wing blades hailed the crimson bomber with more arrows. His shooting spree was interrupted by a sizable charged energy shot that caught him fully on the face, momentarily blinding him and forcing him to return to the floor. Out of pure instinct, the avian reploid raised a wing in front of him, just in time to haphazardly block a cackling saber, feeling the heat close to his face.

Zero continued the assault, having gained the offensive, and went into a flurry of slashes. Though Aztec Falcon was no novice in close quarters combat, he could do little more than block the attacks, hoping his shielded blades would endure. Trying a desperate maneuver, he charged both of his wings to maximum capacity, then released the power. The sudden discharge filled his surroundings with energy, turning the air's particles around them to pure plasma and the inevitable explosion threw both of them backwards.

The crimson fighter recovered first and rose to his feet with quite an effort, his armor filled with scorch marks and a sharp shard of his adversary's wing embedded in his left shoulder. Aztec Falcon rose second and quite worse for wear. One of the golden ornamental and protective wings on his head was shattered, exposing some minor circuitry, both his wings were full of cracks and notches and one of their edges was missing. One of the final slashes must have connected, something that would explain a long, swallow cut on his chest armor that slightly dripped reploid blood. Aztec Falcon snarled to his opponent, rational thought becoming less and less achievable by the second, and went for a full charge attack, meaning to smash the scarlet hunter. He was cut short, as his optic sensors caught something that should not be there.

Zero reached for his shoulder and removed the shard without flinching, treating it as nothing more than an inconvenience. But what unnerved his opponent was his face and more accurately the smile on his face and the sapphire orbs that were his eyes, piercing holes in his psyche. His thoughts went rampant and he felt fear for the first time since his training days. Zero's voice broke the spell.

"So, are you ready to finish this yet?", he asked mockingly, a malignant taint in his voice.

The flying reploid regained a measure of resolve and rushed on his opponent, who jumped on the wall behind him. Aztec Falcon almost laughed aloud, expecting this to be a repeat of the last time he tried this move, and angled his flight abruptly to ascend vertically up the wall and smash the red hunter again. This time, however, Zero was prepared. At the last possible moment, he kicked hard at the wall, leaping away and letting his opponent pass between him and the barrier, spinning around rabidly and delivering a powerful slash on Aztec Falcon's unprotected back.

The avian was startled by the blurry counter-attack, failing to stop in time and crushing on the ceiling in the same fashion as he intended to do to Zero, then fell unceremoniously back on the floor. The scarlet bomber took advantage of his opponent's mishap and dashed to deliver another blow, most defiantly the final one, should it connect. Aztec Falcon managed to bring one of his wings in line, the emerald blade caught between metal pincers.

Below them, the pressure plate continued its lazy descend, now only a meter above its helpless prey. The unlucky reploids went into a frenzy, banging on the reinforced shutter that covered the only exit from the executing machine. Siri and Isis valiantly tried to open the door by manipulating its control circuit, but after Aztec Falcon's remote control was destroyed, everything in the facility had been locked down, devoid of energy.

* * *

X found himself in what looked like a giant archaic library, standing in the middle of an immense circular chamber that featured many floors complete with bookcases. The vision seemed so real, the blue hunter had to mentally remind himself again and again this was not the real world but merely an advanced interface. Ignoring the tricks his mind was trying to pull, he gazed around, his vision happening of one of the pieces of data that had followed him from the ancient database. Twin floating spheres appeared out of nowhere, featuring long, hand-like manipulators and a glowing red eye. Working together, the two programs reached for the surreally shaped piece of information, working with unerring speed and repairing the damaged data, untwisting its lines and cracking any protections. After a while, the jumbled mess was turned into a neat, tiny package that assumed the shape of a book and floated to one of the empty shelves above, while the workers started working relentlessly on the next piece of information.

X recounted his options. He could just go on a rampage, destroying everything around him. Such an action would spoil all the work done since then and would likely damage the reploid itself. However, there was always the danger of detection and identification and X wasn't confident he could eliminate every trace of his presence, even if he could physically dismantle Maha, reducing him to bolts.

His second choice was to subtly sabotage the data, planting a suicide virus that would corrupt them beyond recovery immediately after the reploid had finished. Of course, Maha could try again, but that would buy him some time, not mentioning that such an occurrence could easily be interpreted as an internal database defense.

X made his choice effortlessly, sneaking around the occupied spheres and approaching one of the book-filled shelves. Curiosity compelled him to scan the data for a while, gasping at some of the improvements his father had done to Zero's body. Not wanting to lose any more time, he concentrated, creating a program that had his appearance but was tiny enough to be held in his palm and only as sentient as its task would require. After depositing his agent in the library, he tried to sneak away and out again, but this time his luck failed to cover him. One of the spheres turned abruptly, its red eye focusing on the intruder and initiating a general alarm.

* * *

Zero tugged his saber with all the strength he could muster, his body still experiencing the aftershock of his opponent's previous attacks and Aztec Falcon holding the luminous blade for dear life. The emerald sword started to slip from his grasp, the red hunter gaining the upper hand slowly. With not a second to waste, the Neo-Arcadian shot his other arm, the one whose blade was broken, into a fast slash, aiming for his opponent's midsection. Zero retaliated the only way he could, grabbing the weapon with his bare, free hand and stopping it. They remained still for some seconds, the red warrior actually pushing the avian back, while a small trail of blood ran down the winged reploid's blade, sprouting from Zero's hand, his gauntlet inadequate to protect his exposed palm from the still-sharp edge.

Aztec Falcon smiled at his opponent, a feat considering his injuries. "Aren't you forgetting something?", he mocked.

At the same time, he channeled all the electricity he could afford through his damaged hand, thousands of volts ravaging Zero's body and sending him backwards, causing him to collide with the opposite wall. Aztec Falcon rose to his feet with great difficulty, regarding his shattered wing that was white-hot at its edges, the material closing dangerously to its melting point.

Zero stayed very still, his body in pain but his mind racing.

_Am I still alive? Can this body of mine really sustain all this damage, shrug it off and continue to fight?_

He focused on his surrounding sounds. Aztec Falcon was still struggling to regain his balance, his feet clanging on the metal floor randomly. But the sound that really demanded Zero's attention was the desperate shouts and prayers of the reploids below him.

_Ciel said I was a legendary reploid, a legendary fighter. Let's see if that is true._

Zero tried to rise, but found he could not. Not giving up, he tried again. And a series of incoherent images assaulted his memory.

_Zero found himself in an energy cage, next to a reploid on a large and formidable ride armor. A door opened and a blue reploid came in. They all exchanged words he couldn't decipher, then he broke out of the cage, latched himself on the ride armor and deliberately caused his energy core to overload and blow up._

_Zero was piloting a great flying vehicle, his eyes determined. He left the atmosphere and the cockpit was ejected just before the shuttle fell on a great celestial body. As the escape pod descended towards the earth, a grant, silent explosion illuminated the world. Zero smiled._

_Zero found himself in a great chamber. His body was almost destroyed. Around him, he saw the remains of two other reploids, one of them blue, one really large. 'I won't give up' he heard himself thinking, as he charged his buster._

_Beside him, Zero could see two reploids, their faces grim. One of them wore a massive, multicolored armor, its main color blue. The second had spiky orange hair and was wielding twin pistols. Above them, there was a radiant white sphere of light and he thought he heard a soothing voice coming from its core. And all around them, as far as his eyes could see, there were enemies of every kind, shape and size, eyes, fists, tendrils, claws, beaks, beam weapons, busters, pistols, spikes, missile launchers, nails, blades and scythes, all trained on the trio. 'Shall we start?' he heard himself saying._

Aztec Falcon finally regained his balance and turned to regard his prone opponent smirking. "A worthy challenge, but you proved inadequate at the end", he said, his voice raspy.

The response was far removed from what he would expect. He didn't believe that opponent would beg for his life or weep before his end. He had gazed into his eyes and knew that wouldn't happen. But what he heard now, was completely irrelevant with the current situation.

Zero chuckled.

The avian reploid remain still, his eyes wide, as the crimson reploid before him rose effortlessly from the floor, ignoring the sparks that still danced on his body, his chuckles turned to laughter. As Zero turned to regard his opponent, Aztec Falcon immediately recognized the difference. The crimson menace's eyes were now a radiant shinning purple, his grin not a sane one.

"Who the hell are you?", demanded the avian, shouting at the top of his artificial lungs.

The mirth disappeared from Zero's features, his expression now deadly serious. "That is what I really want to find out", he replied with all honesty, unholstering his Z-buster.

Aztec Falcon regarded the deactivated saber that laid behind him and frowned. "You are no match for me without your little toy here", he stated, while frantically sidestepping a hail of plasma shots.

Zero continued to fire relentlessly, though every last of his shots was true to its mark. The flying reploid found with horror that the hunter's marksmanship was better than ever, his crimson foe actually anticipating his moves and scoring hits more often than not. He tried to retaliate with blazing blue arrows, but Zero dodged the projectiles casually, never halting his assault.

Aztec Falcon realized that now Zero was vulnerable at close quarters, his saber denied to him. Focusing his remaining energy, he extended the blades of his intact hand to their limits and let electricity surge through them, turning the appendage into a huge electromagnet, digging his claws into the metal floor at the same time. The red hunter had to pause his attacks, trying to resist the pull by dashing at full power towards the opposite direction. Slowly, mercilessly, he started losing ground, sliding towards his enemy.

* * *

X leaped to the side, avoiding a torrent of shots, forming and firing his blaster at the same time and disintegrating the turrets that had erupted from the floor. Reaching high, he grabbed one of the floating spheres, using it as a shield from many more shots, then hurtled the overloaded program to his adversaries, deleting all of them at once. All data inside the digital room disappeared, the bookcases retreating inside the walls to protect their contents. For a second the walls remained plain, then countless cannons appeared out of nowhere from every wall, floor and ceiling, all pointed towards X.

Sighing, the azure warrior closed his eyes and started floating, his lips uttering words.

"Giga..."

All the cannons shined at once, ready to release the energy nested in their innards.

"... Crush!"

The world was enveloped in a blinding white light, X being a cackling pulsar in the middle, his arms and legs extended to channel the energy outwards. When the light faded, there was no sign of the sentient weaponry that was trained on him. Sighing again, he attempted to leave, entering the connecting cable again. He faded from sight, but then appeared again, his face a mask of astonishment. The room's walls became red, then white hot, and X's body exploded, leaving nothing behind, its pieces dissolving utterly, a scream the last thing he uttered.

A voice resounded from some unseen source. "_Viral element eliminated"

* * *

_

Zero crouched to the floor, his free hand bending the material and creating a grip, his other hand resuming firing his buster from the awkward position. Aztec Falcon simply moved his magnet arm into place. Since Zero could not move, blocking those shots was a joke. Without losing a second, the aerial reploid air-dashed towards the red bomber, ignoring the next shots that inevitably connected, and bashed on him, uprooting him from the floor and slamming him on the wall behind them at full force.

The crimson warrior felt his body protesting, but retaliated by setting his elbow firmly on the wall and extending his hand, synthetic muscles strained. His extended palm, positioned exactly before the gush on Aztec Falcon's chest armor, entered the airborne reploid's torso aided by his own power, bashing through vital organs and components.

The Neo-Arcadian squeaked and retreated, as Zero, hardly regarding his hand which was full of scarlet liquid, much of it his own, kicked on the wall behind him and launched himself on his opponent, fists leading the way. The two reploids became a ball of rolling and kicking appendages, the fight reduced to an all-out brawl. Seconds later Zero landed a powerful punch that shattered the second blade of the already damaged wing, as Aztec Falcon laded a clawed kick, tearing at his opponent's abdomen, while releasing another electric discharge on the crimson reploid, sending him flying.

The avian tried to rise again, his knees failing him, then regarded Zero, who yet again rose on his feet, recovering his saber and igniting it.

"Why won't you just lay down and die!", shouted the Neo-Arcadian, meekly rising and flying on the wall again, avoiding a dashing slash.

"Why?", he shouted again in frustration, channeling every last ounce of his power in what remained of his arm blades and falling with all his might towards the center of the room, where Zero stood.

The crimson hunter jumped backwards, touching the wall for a second then leaping in the air, as every metallic surface around him cackled with raw power, ravaged by lethal doses of raw electricity.

"Because..!", he shouted, while falling towards his opponent, blade extended and shinning like a great green sun .

"...I'm Zero!", he added, eyes sparkling purple, as his blade connected with Aztec Falcon's shoulder, then continued down all the way to the crotch, severing the Neo-Arcadian commander cleanly in the middle, then continuing and biting hard into the pressure plate beneath.

Zero forfeited his blade, jumping away, as his opponent's body detonated, his energy core punctured. After the smoke cleared, he rushed back and grabbed the saber, forcing it lower and cutting a hole in the floor. Seconds later, the freed reploids, more than twenty, started pouring hastily from under the ever moving plate, some thanking Zero again and again, most of them too shocked to speak. Moments after the last of them passed through the hole, the plate reached the bottom with a great, ear-spitting thud that was magnified inside the now-silent metal chamber.

Zero approached the sealed door that was now on ground level, as the two cyber-elves emerged from within.

"Yay! You did Z! I knew you would! You are the best!", shouted Isis, circling Zero like a rampant hornet.

"Zero! We must return to the base now! Your wounds are grievous! We have to mend them!", shouted Siri in frustration. "Why must you return like that after half of all your missions?"

Zero sighed and turned to the elves. "I can't lead all of us back from where we came. Is there any of those machines around here? Those Trans-servers?"

"You bet there is, Z. It's behind that blasted door, but the thing is stuck and I don't know how..."

Isis stopped talking, as Zero casually walked forward and slashed trice, reducing the door to heated metal shreds. The white cyber-elf scowled. "Show-off!"

* * *

Maha Ganeshariff's eyes opened wide, his trance disrupted. He smiled, pleased with himself. "A protection program. Really powerful, but no match for my intellect", he gloated to the plain air around him. "This task will take quite some time, but lady Leviathan will reward me well. I might even take the place of that idiotic brute, Staggroff. I can't think of a reason she keeps him on such a high station, while my value is far greater."

X disappeared into the wall, smiling. _That decoy of mine worked well. The idiot thought he had managed to restrain me, but now no suspicion has fallen to me and my virus is still intact._

X debated whether he should stay here, should his plan fail, or go to the resistance base to see in what situation Zero was, hoping his old friend wasn't doing anything too dangerous yet.

* * *

Zero waited until the last of the liberated reploids used the device, then stepped on the teleportation pad, the two elves joining him after randomizing the server's logs to cover their coordinates.

As soon as he vanished, the door leading to the server exploded and three figures stepped in.

First entered Harpuia, his face mortified after seeing Aztec Falcon, one of his most trusted subordinates, reduced to scrap, regarding the chamber silently.

Behind him followed his two siblings, being on each other's throats as usual.

"You were supposed to stay behind for a reason, Fairy", shouted Fefnir, quite agitated.

"I was occupied, hothead. I had to fight a Maverick right into our center and then had to visit the infirmary", she hissed.

"Excuses, excuses. We leave the little girl alone, we do all the job and she stays behind, doing nothing at all..."

Leviathan grinned. "At least I did fought a Maverick. What have you two been doing apart from rusting in some underground ruins?", she asked impishly.

"Oh, shut up!"

"You shut up first, you fat buffoon."

"Fat! My body is full of muscles!"

"What about..."

She was cut short, as Harpuia glared at them, demanding their attention. "The security cameras?"

The blue guardian shook her head. "Everything wiped out because of the power failure."

"What about Aztec Falcon?"

Leviathan smiled. "We recovered his control chip intact. Building a new body will take quite a while, but we can save him, if you wish to."

The jade guardian nodded slowly. "Do that Fairy. It seems our problems are only getting larger..."

* * *

Okay, finished with this chapter... If you think the battle was too long, tell me. Or too short for the matter;-)

**To PhiloWorm: **Favorite form? (apart from the ultimate, of course). Active of Rise, I think. I use all of them... The dark power will manifest subtly, at least for now, as you have seen...

But a Barlong is made of fire 0.o Anyway, after a sudden flash, Zidon finds himself into a cyberworld like place. No teleporting, he walks and finds nothing. I hold a crystal ball with him inside, though he can't see that. Not so great when there is nothing to blast 6.6

**To MyGBAcanTalk: **You will either love or hate those elves. Just as it goes with Zero... Why type when there is Ctrl and V?

**To mad-man: **Elpizo referred to the elf in the same manner Golum referred to the Ring... Because my battles are large, I guess. 6K chapters are already too much. That, and as a cliffhanger. Zoids is fun, as long as you are aided but the spacebar... Whoever does not understand that or VBA, just forget about it...

**To Shadow Enigma: **I hoped you liked this chapter, too. The idea about X just crushed in at the last moment, demolishing a certain writer's block;-) Oh, and about what writing ability are you talking about? I'm just messing around...

**To Lotus:** That's exactly my plan! Turn everybody into a fan and then conquer the world! That will happen at one billion words, though...

**To Cyclonus1: **That idea was born from a simple suggestion. I'm open to ideas, but I can never promise to use them...

**To Myhi**: Pyromaniac is the least of her flaws;-D. Don't fret too much about cyber-elves not being unique. As long as you develop them correctly, they become unique. Months ago? You should have posted that story! This category needs more MMZ stories and this last week has been far too quiet anyway! Zero can't cook? Do read "guardian roommates". One of my personal favorites. I dislike yaoi stories (as a rule, male authors write and like yuri, female authors yaoi) and I'm not a great fan of yuri. Most of these stories are of low quality, anyway. As such, you won't see such stuff here. Lemons neither. Some slight lime at most, if any... Start posting! But not much at the same time. However much so I want to read all of them, you have to post little every time to get reviews... Reviews equals inspiration... END? This fic will officially end when I'm bored, or when I no longer get reviews...

**To everybody:** Thanks for reading!


	14. Restless stirring

Welcome to another fine installment. Today we will watch...  
Aztec Falcon: Hey, give me some more lines!  
I gave you a huge monologue-before I killed you off, that is.  
AF: How can you ditch me like that? I should have taken the Oscar.  
No worries. You will appear again as Harp's floating platform. With hands too!  
AF: oh temporis, oh mores...  
Anyway... new Ocs alert. Yes it is getting ridiculous but, no, I don't mind.

* * *

Chapter 14: Restless stirring 

#initiating data log:

#Warning: System shut down due to extreme exertion. Will remain stand-by until energy core replenished.

#Warning: Damage report: Armor punctured and weakened in multiple spots, circuits overloaded due to severe intensity power surges, energy fluid leak in numerous locations, synthetic muscles damaged, minor skeletal fractures overall, moderate damage at right knee joint and left hand, severe damage at right shoulder joint and abdomen, general equilibrium disturbed due to electricity surges.

#Event: Repair systems on-line. Efficiency 40 percent. Body completion halted.

#Event: Abnormal quantities of dark energy channeled. Dark energy link 0.5 percent exploited. Integration and control time: unknown. Dark energy state: Fading.

#Event: CUI chip detected unknown factors. Analyzing...

#CUI chip report: thunder chip salvaged. Electricity manipulation function established.  
Offensive protocols upgraded: innate electric attack vassal under development.  
Defensive protocols upgraded: tolerance against electric attacks enhanced.  
Special protocols upgraded: results unknown.

#CUI chip report: Enemy reploid unit blueprints analyzed. Upgrades embodied into DNA core. Completion after general repairs concluded. Effects:  
Reaction time upgraded.  
Energy resistant armor coating upgraded.  
Defensive protocols upgraded: tolerance against fire attacks enhanced.

#Event: Energy absorbing function on-line. Efficiency at 5 percent.

#Event: maximum energy core capacity upgraded.

#Overview:  
Relative potential body power level: infinite.  
Relative possible body power level: 110K  
Synchronization percentage: 8  
Relative power level: 8800

#End log

* * *

_A shadow laughed in the darkness, a purple bladed beam saber appearing in its hand, blood dripping and dripping and dripping..._  
Zero opened his eyes wearily, fighting back the fog in his vision, to be greeted by an unknown ceiling.  
Like I can remember any known ceilings for the matter, he mused silently.  
He was lying on a hard surface, which proved to be an operating table. First, he noticed his weapons and armor, fully repaired, resting on a chair, beckoning to him. Looking further, he saw Ciel, the blond girl that had awakened him, sleeping on a chair, a military coat covering her back. He tried to remember the last thing he could. He had made sure that every last of the refugees was already transed, then he teleported himself back to the Resistance base. After taking three or so steps, he must have collapsed to the floor, the reploid equivalent of adrenaline finally purged from his body.  
"Good morning, Zero."  
He turned to his other side to regard a gray-haired reploid, wearing a standard lab robe, only colored in the usual Resistance green tone, and an orange-white visor.  
Zero rose slowly, his body stiff and quite numb, his eyes questioning. "What happened?", he asked at length.  
Cerveau smirked, if only slightly. "Let me see. Our Trans Server comes to life, a sorry bunch of astonished and quite joyful reploids burst in, followed by an energy-deprived corpse of a reploid along with two quite annoying lanterns. Then the corpse takes two steps and collapses, scaring the hell out of a human girl, an old engineer and pretty much everybody else around. The sorry engineer and the terrified girl take the corpse to the operating room-slash-inventions lab-slash-junkyard and try to get him fixed up. Even with the corpse's unique repair systems, it takes them half a day and almost a night to get him running, but eventually the girl falls asleep, presumably as exhausted as the aforementioned corpse."  
Zero smiled weakly. "Perhaps I pushed myself a bit too much", he muttered.  
Cerveau nodded. "Far too much. And in the process, you took out a non-sentient regiment of enemy troops and defeated a reploid we have been trying to scratch for months. I confess I'm not convinced you actually **are** The Zero yet, but if you can do what twenty of our regular soldiers cannot, then you have my respect."  
"Well, I'm not convinced myself, but that can wait", said Zero hesitantly. "So, what now?", he asked.  
"I don't think we should wake up the mastermind of this fine organization yet", answered the engineer, pointing at Ciel. "Your systems are impossible and she can use some more rest. And that goes for you, too. You might be almost repaired, but you need some more rest for your systems to return to full operation. Take a tour to our fabulous base."  
Zero left the bed, summoning his armor that appeared on his body in a flash. "I'll take the offer, Cerveau it was? Thanks for the repairs", he said, walking to leave the room.  
The reploid researcher wanted something more from him. "Before you go, could you let me examine your weapons? I have never seen such designs and it could greatly assist my work.  
The crimson warrior hesitated for a second, then reluctantly unholstered his Z-saber and Z-buster, feeling peculiarly unnerved without them.  
As soon as the reploid was beyond earshot, the mechanic shook his head. "He is crazy and suicidal and lost, yet still he might be the answer to all our problems." Cerveau turned to the still sleeping Ciel. "You did a great work, lass. Perhaps you'll stop loathing yourself now."

* * *

The tall reploid, wearing a green, loose official robe, plugged and double-checked a variety of cable connections, inspected some complicated machinery and returned to his monitor. While his performance with computers was not as brilliant as his sister's, he was better versed than many. Sighing, he typed an endless string of characters in rabid succession, halting his finger just before he pressed the button that would execute his commands. His mind raced to every single detail that could go wrong, rehearsing the finer points of his experiment.  
Then he pressed it.  
Every contraption in the room started humming, his screen filled with data coming from the many sensors he had attached. A glass globe in the middle of the chamber was filled with light for a second, then started pulsating. The reploid concentrated hard on the meters on the screen, holding his breath in anticipation.  
Then something went wrong.  
The meters on the screen went wild, rising and falling randomly, while the globe started flickering unstably. A minor explosion resounded from one of the devices, frying its circuitry and causing a chain reaction, many more minor implosions following. At long last, everything stopped working, filling the room with whitish smoke and silence.  
The green clad reploid let out a deep sigh, bringing his hand on his forehead and slumping back into his chair.  
"Another great breakthrough, huh?", stated more than asked a voice from behind him.  
First guardian Harpuia turned slowly to regard his sister, his eyes weary. "It's not funny, Fairy. I thought I was closer this time, but I ended up in square one."  
Leviathan sighed. "I'm helping you all I can, but I'm not so good with physics."  
Harpuia allowed himself a nowadays rare smile. "Your help has been invaluable, but I just can't seem to be able to find it. I have advanced quite a bit from what Ciel and her fellow scientists left behind, but I am currently stuck behind a wall."  
The blue guardian frowned. "Ciel was the only one who knew what she was doing. All the other losers were left in the dark when she... disappeared."  
The jade guardian nodded. "Ciel is a genius and the only one who can really find a solution to the energy shortage. I bet she continues her research even now."  
Leviathan averted her eyes, anguish flashing on her face for a second, then uttered a generic greeting and left the room.  
Harpuia sighed again._ I know what it feels like, Fairy. I too hate to fight against little Ciel, but I cannot fully understand her actions or defy my duty. Has she changed so much? Or are we the ones who changed? And what will she do if and when she concludes her research. Will she help Neo-Arcadia?_  
The emerald lord dismissed the pointless thoughts and resumed his work, trying to salvage the experiment's logs and find what the heck went wrong this time. After a while, he was convinced. Back to the drawing board for him...

* * *

Since the dawn of the reploid era and even before, one of the main ways to maintain and utilize energy was in the form of Energon. Before Dr. Cain discovered X's hibernation capsule and during the human world wide wars that occurred between 20XX and 21XX, the main energy sources to attain Energon were nuclear generators, carbon-based material and solar energy. While the first was proven unsafe again and again, the second became scarce and the third could not cover all needs without extreme cost, they were enough to support the civilization. During the human wars much knowledge was lost, special bombs and viruses disabling the mainframes that held it and scientists possessing the knowledge perishing along with the rest of the unfortunate population. 

During the first era of reploids that was scared by the infamous Maverick uprisings, mainly caused by Sigma, the infamous reploid possessed by the Maverick virus, the Megacity system and the rest of the large unions on earth heavily relied on relics of the past, nuclear generators, which they could maintain but not reproduce and large fields of solar cells.

Then came the Elf Wars, just after the last and most bloody Maverick uprising. Dr. Weil, a mere human, managed to cause more damage than the Eurasia incident and all other attempts of Sigma combined, resulting to further loss of knowledge. When time for rebuilding came, sometime between 22XX and 23XX, most of the energy producing relics were lost. All unions, including the Megacity system were nonexistent and X had to organize everything from scratch. Almost by chance, some important data of the past were found at Iceland, a country that had been relying on geothermal power for ages. 'Master' X was all too happy to base the new nation rising from the ashes of the war on such a seemingly infinite power source.

The thermal wells' output started decreasing some years before X's disappearance, after a century of usage, and the crisis gradually became worse. Though it would be possible to build new wells at other locations, it would require a great amount of dumb luck to find an appropriate site, where lava veins are close enough to the surface to be exploited without the danger of volcanic activity. The energy crystal deposits, most of them created due to the Eurasia incident and other, unknown factors, were considered useless at first, but were afterwards used to compensate for the thermal wells' failure. But energy crystals were finite and the rest is history.

The Resistance base used to be an old thermal energy factory that was one of the first to shut down, its output deemed inefficient. Since a thermal well at peak performance would require large personnel for monitoring, maintenance and security, the building came with a great number of actual living quarters. After Ciel pinpointed and occupied the factory, she invested a large amount of money, but still small when compared with the vast wealth she received from the death of her family, to turn a shaky building into a defensible fortress. The young scientist, aided by Cerveau, managed to activate the energy production, tiny as it might be, while covering the rest of the energy needs from energy crystal mines and occasional raids at Neo-Arcadian transports and deposits. She also installed a powerful shield and cloak generator, turned many of the now useless storage rooms into more living quarters, dug tunnels to assure escape routes, reinforced the foundations and created a small but powerful computer network, full with a much needed but energy hungry Trans-server.

It should be noted that even though the base was habitable, luxury was not a priority. While the funds were abundant, thanks to Ciel's great fortune and wise, though concealed, investments, materials were hard to come by. A massive purchase would raise questions and nobody knew for how much longer they would have to depend on the blond girl's wallet. The building itself was as steady as they came, but the interior seemed bleak, needing quite a paintjob that nobody had the time or mind to perform.  
Striking example was the mesh hall. While the large chamber was well-lit, complete with many great tables and a counter that separated it from the cooking facilities, the walls were devoid of color or any kind of decoration.

Zero entered the room casually, extracting a gasp from some of its occupants, but fortunately no mob came to him this time. While the hall was only half filled, the red warrior was astonished by the great numbers he saw. He could see at least three hundred reploids in the great room, eating and chatting together. Most of them were humanlike, wearing the standard green Resistance uniform, but Zero could easily pinpoint a bunch of animal-like reploids as well as some unique armor designs. On the tables he could see many different kinds of reploid food, from energy capsules and crystals to mundane human plates. Zero walked slowly, absorbing the lively scene that somehow sparked a longing. For some reason, the words Maverick Hunters Headquarters dominated his mind, no definite memories assaulting him this time, just a faraway jumble of messed impressions. Without realizing, he reached the counter and was greeted by a polite voice.

"What will it be today, good sir?"

Zero snapped into attention, returning to reality and regarding the source of the voice. Behind the now deserted counter, he saw a short and stocky male reploid, wearing a huge white apron and a ridiculously tall white chef hat. Zero silently mused that the cook before him wanted to compensate for his lack of physical height. The reploid retained his indifferent, professional and somewhat bored attitude for a few more seconds, then his eyes opened wide in recognition.

"Well, I'll be damned. You must be Zero, the reploid of legend! Glad to meet you, Mr. Zero! My name is Viny. I'm the chief chef here, but the rest of the damned cooks abandoned me and I have to serve as well", he responded, talking faster than it should have been possible and extending his hand.

Zero smiled slightly and took the offered hand, shaking it courtly. "Glad to meet you, Viny. Just drop the 'mister' crap."  
The fat reploid laughed heartily. "As you wish, Zero. Hell, you are new here and nobody had half a mind to help you around. First of all, give me a sec to serve you one of my specials." Viny followed the sentence with rabid but accurate movements, stopping short a second later and regarding the red reploid before him hesitantly. "Um, you don't have any special needs, do you. I mean, can you eat everything? I mean no offense, but..."

This time Zero did smile. "Rest assured, Viny. I'm an easy customer. I can eat your energy staff, but I would prefer actual food. I pity you for having to remember that for every last of the reploids here."

Viny beamed happily, assured that he hadn't somehow insulted his new acquaintance. "Yeah, I pity myself too. Here", he said, producing a metal tray filled with a vast variety of food. "I'm giving you a lil bit of everything, so that you can find your favorite. I'm here if you need a second fill."

Zero took the tray and nodded. "Thanks Viny. See you around."

"_Bonn appetite_, Zero", joked the cook. "Feel free to ask me anything you wish to know, by the way."

* * *

"So, how's work around here, Orson?"  
The owner of "The joyful Maverick" restaurant and bar turned to regard one of his not-surprisingly cloaked clients. Without stopping polishing a glass behind the bar counter, he gave the bulky customer a curt smile.  
"Things are going well Mr. Felix. Even better since our late esteemed commander was replaced by someone somewhat more polite."  
A white-gloved hand emerged from the large cloak and brought a glass of liquor on unseen lips. "Yeah, that Hyeron was an ass, anyway."  
A much smaller but equally cloaked figure sitting next to them joined the conversation. "Do they have any leads about who did it?", he asked while motioning for another glass. 

Orson produced an unlabeled bottle from under his counter, filled the empty glass and then concealed it again. "I have heard many rumors about the incident, Mr. Pitch. But even after almost a month, the only hard evidence is that the poor commander was divided in six pieces."  
'Mr. Felix' let out an audible burp and spoke again. "Bah, the bastard had it coming. I happen to know some of his history. Great slashjob, though. I'd like to meet the one who did it."

The smaller figure tagged as 'Mr. Pitch' turned to regard the bar's patron. "Why's that?", he asked pretty innocently.  
A third customer, this one uncloaked, sat next to them. "The big guy here probably wants to get a bounty out of it. Good luck mate."  
Orson scowled slightly towards the third reploid. "I would appreciate not to bother the customers that actually **pay** for their drinks, Antouan. And you behave as vulgar as ever."

The smaller figure let out a hearty laugh after draining half his glass. "Let the sucker be, Orson. He's fun to have around."  
The larger figure nodded behind his cloak, then clapped a heavy hand on Antouan's back in a friendly manner, almost sending him flying. "Yeah, leave the poor sob say his piece. And to answer your question Pitch, no, I ain't no stinkin' bounty hunter. That freak, Hyeron got what he deserved. I'm just lookin' for a fight worthy of my time, ya know."

Orson filled the glasses of the two cloaked figures again, but hesitated before Antouan. "So you are a thrill-seeker, Mr. Felix. No Antouan, until you pay me at least some of it, I won't put another drink on your tab."

"Aw, come on, Orsy. Aren't I your friend?"

"Yes, Antouan. Unfortunately you are my friend. But in here, you are just a bad customer."

As the reploid pouted mockingly, the large figure slapped his hand on his back again. "Come now, Orson. Leaving such a fine drunk dry is a sin. I'll buy him the next. So, you think that new Resistance fighter did the number with Hyeron?"

'Mr. Pitch' shook his head. "Nah, I don't think so. That new guy wasn't around that time. Anybody heard any news about him?"  
Antouan smirked. "I heard that he scrapped a high commander yesterday. One of guardian Harpuia's men. I bet our high and mighty general had quite a fit."

'Mr. Felix' let out a laugh. "You bet he did. One of my friend's friend's friend told me about that. His face was so sour he made the food taste bad."

Everybody laughed at that, though 'Mr. Felix' laughed louder than everyone with his own joke. At that moment, 'Mr. Pitch's' comm. came on line.

"Are you there? Do you read me, Tone?"

The small cloaked figure sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you loud and clear, Font. What's up?"

"The doctor needs you T...tone. Don't tell me you are wasting your time in Neo-Silvar again."

"Alright, alright, I'll come." After turning off his comm., Tone rose from his seat. "Sorry to ruin the company, guys, but they need my awesome skills right now", he said, downing his glass and leaving some Zenny behind. "I'll be around Orson, Antouan and Felix."  
The large figure rose too. "If you're leaving, I'm going too, Pitch. My siblings bitch around too when I'm gone for long."  
As the two cloaked figures left through the door, Antouan turned to Orson. "Tricky business, ain't it?", he whispered.  
Orson smiled. "Well, being an unofficial Resistance member is tricky when you serve someone that cleaved our late commander in six **and** a Neo-Arcadian high general at the same time", he whispered back.

Fefnir entered a deserted alley and teleported back to Neo-Arcadia after removing his large cloak.

* * *

Zero stepped away from the counter holding his tray and scanned the great hall for an empty seat. Walking towards some unoccupied tables, he debated whether siting alone would attract even more attention to his person. The answer came in the shape of a large reploid, shaking his hands in the air to catch his attention while extracting many curious glances from around. The red warrior sighed and headed for the table. No use in ignoring that huge presence. 

"So, you're Zero, huh? Nice to meet you in better surroundings. I want to thank you, man. You really saved our butts back there", said the stranger in a loud, booming voice.

Zero recalled the reploid with some effort. He and the diminutive female reploid sitting next to him and smiling shyly were among the ones he had rescued from the disposal center. The man was large-framed, his stout chair barely holding him, and quite tall. His armor was thick and cumbersome, colored a dull gray and lined with white. His boots and gauntlets were black and unusually large and a gray helmet rested on the table beside him, letting his military-cut raven hair free. His equally black eyes sparkled with excitement towards the table's new occupant.

Zero smiled slightly at the man's thanks. "No big deal, I only did what Dr. Ciel told me. I'm actually new here too. What is your name, by the way?"

The large reploid let out a hearty, deep laugh. "Damn, where are my manners. Name's Bolthor. I used to be a freelance fighter, but some sucker tagged me with a theft and I was sent to be 'corrected'. You know, turn me into cans, perhaps. And this is my friend Bianka."  
Zero regarded the female. She was lightly armored, just some small pieces on her forearms and forelegs, a triangular-shaped breastplate with a small, orange crystal in the middle and a plain but elegant helmet. Her armor was colored dark purple and the durable but flexible jumpsuit underneath was white. Her eyes were emerald green and her hair, free of her helmet that too rested on the table, was silver and reaching just below her shoulders. Zero didn't fail to notice a black utility belt that obviously housed some kind of weapon.

Bianka smiled slightly and responded, her voice hesitant. "We are at your dept, Mr. Zero. I... I really thought we were going to die back there", he said, her eyes automatically falling downwards.

Her bulky friend regarded her shaking his head and turned to Zero. "Don't blame her. She was really scared back then, but she can be a great fighter. You see, Bianka is a ninja reploid."

Said Bianka gained some courage and regarded Zero again. "Well, I was born to fight, but I haven't really trained at all. My creator passed away before he could...", she said, her voice faltering towards the end.

Bolthor gave her a huge, friendly hug, which she accepted without complain. "Aw, stop thinking about that, Bianka. That is the past. Now both of us can start over again. You won't even need to fight anymore."

This time, Bianka raised her head, new determination sparking inside her eyes. "No, Bolthor. I can't stand idle when reploids like Mr. Zero risk their lives for our sake. I will fight too. And don't tell me you will just settle down. I know you better than that."

Bolthor laughed again loudly. "No use in hiding from you, Bianka", he said, then turned to Zero. "Well, we two want to actively help the Resistance, Zero. We are soldiers rather than refugees. Can you set us up?"

Zero scratched the back of his head. "As I said I'm new to it myself. I'm not sure how..."

"I can help."

Everybody turned to regard a fourth reploid that had approached the table. This one was wearing the standard green Resistance light armor, full with the red 'R' insignia. "Mind if I join you?"

"Get to it, pal. The more the merrier", bellowed Bolthor. "I'm Bolthor, this is Bianka and our red friend here..."

The new reploid laughed. "Oh, I know about Zero all too well", he said, while taking the offer and sitting down. "My name is Colbor. If we were a true army, I would pass as a high-ranking officer, but let's just say I'm quite close to Dr. Ciel. If you wish to help and can fight, I can assign you and your friend on some operations."

"Ok, Colbor, man. That makes you a friend of mine. So, when can we start?"

A shadow passed before Colbor's since then joyful features. "I confess the times are tough. Some years ago, we were effortlessly waltzing all around Neo-Arcadia, encountering minor problems, but recently they have steeled their defenses. Zero's success was the first major one in a long time. The missions are getting more and more difficult and the casualties..."

Bolthor placed a huge hand on Colbor's shoulder. "No fear, Colby. Bianka , Zero and myself are here now. We might not show it, by all of us are good fighters. Right everyone?"

"I will do my best", said Bianka in a low voice, while Zero just nodded and concentrated on his meal, his face neutral.

Said concentration was cut short by a familiar voice. "Don't you dare think we will be left out of it."

Everybody turned to see a floating metal tray featuring twin tiny plates full of energy crystals. The thing touched down on the table smoothly and Isis emerged from it, followed by Siri.

Bolthor regarded the cyber-elves, his eyes amused. "Hey, Zero. Do you know those two?"

Before Zero could decide whether to explain or just maintain his peace, Isis made the decision for him. The white cyber-elf started circling the huge reploid, while speaking rabidly. "You bet he does, you slowpoke. I'm Isis and she is Siri. We two are Zero's partners, you know. I might know him for only a couple of days, but my friend here has told me everything I needed to know and more about him. Without us, he and that Ciel wouldn't be around now. Isn't that right, Z?"

Zero continued to ignore just everything around him, focusing on the task at hand.

"Hey why won't you talk to us, Z? Cat got your tongue?", insisted Isis. And then found herself spiraling downwards after a backhand from Siri.

"Stop annoying just everybody we meet and start eating, Isis! You almost drove that kind cook Maverick back there!"

"I told him I wanted my crystals spicy. It's not my fault he made them bitter-sweet."

As the two elves continued to bicker, Bolthor started laughing loudly and was soon joined by a chuckling Colbor and a quietly giggling Bianka. Zero fixed his elbow on the table and rested his head on his hand, sighing and fighting back a smile.

_ What have I gotten myself into?_, he silently mused.

* * *

Phantom entered Copy X's quarters and found the crazed leader staring at the giant metropolis over which he reigned. "I'm here my master", said the black guardian, falling on one knee. 

Copy X stared a bit longer, ignoring his servant, then turned at long last, his gaze absent. "It's another great day in Neo-Arcadia, Phantom", he stated.

"Yes, my master", answered the reprogrammed reploid, still kneeling.

"In Neo-Arcadia, where my reign is absolute", continued the clone, not really talking to somebody.

"Yes, my master."

A smile found its way on Copy X's face. "And I am the people's hero", he added gleefully. "Do rise, Phantom and welcome back. Was your mission a success?"

"Indeed, master. The rumors were accurate. He wasn't really eager to follow me, but I convinced him."

Copy X eyed his subordinate carefully. "I hope he is not hurt. We need him to help our cause in his own free will. **If** he is as good as the rumors say."

"I did as you requested master. I brought him to you alive and unspoiled. He is waiting outside", said the guardian sagely.  
Copy X's smile took to his ears. "By all means, Phantom, call him in."

The black guardian performed a curt bow and headed to the door, letting another reploid to enter the sanctum.  
The new presence bowed slightly and remained silent.

Copy X nodded. "I have heard many things about you, professor, but you have remained hidden. I trust you will assist us fighting the Resistance, this new Maverick force."

The figure eyed Copy X carefully, then smiled eerily. "I wanted to retain my anonymity, master X, but since you found me out, I will be glad to help you against Mavericks."

Copy X eyed the stranger sharply. "Would you be so kind as to share your name with us?", he asked, keeping his tone casual.

The reploid became serious again. "My name is of no importance, master X, and my loyalty lies with you, the forefather of all reploids."

Copy X seemed really pleased with that, dropping the subject. "Very well, professor. Our resources are yours and we eagerly await results", he said, motioning the newcomer to leave.

The reploid did so, bowing again and leaving the room.  
"Forefather of all reploids", mused Copy X. "This title has a certain quality that appeals to me", he said aloud. "So, what do you think of him, my loyal servant. Do speak your thoughts."

"I don't trust him, master. There is no record of him and we don't even know his name. Still, he may be useful."

"Indeed, Phantom. Have your men keep an eye on him, but don't haunt him too much. We need him to trust us."

"Yes, master X."

"Oh, and how is our little infiltration plan going?"

Phantom smiled wickedly. "The resistance will suspect nothing, my master."

"Good...That would be all, Phantom. I will rest now", said Copy X, walking again towards his huge terrace to gaze to the city below."

"As you wish, my master."

* * *

Zero was lying on his bed, trying to get some sleep, but nervousness can prevent a reploid from sleeping as surely as it can prevent a human. He had withdrawn early, just after Ciel's briefing. Tomorrow morning, we would take a mission back to the underground laboratory he was found hibernating. Zero couldn't help but smile when remembering the chaos in the briefing room. Ciel had single-handedly and efficiently organized ten different missions for the next day with only minor help from Cerveau and the rest of her 'generals'. Many had offered to join Zero in his mission and Ciel encouraged him to use some help, but the red hunter was adamant.  
_ This mission will be exclusively for my sake. No need to risk anyone else.  
_  
Of course, if he had voiced his thoughts like that, Ciel and the rest of the reploids present would counter him with a wall of arguments, one he wouldn't want to face. 

Keeping an emotionless face can be handy at some occasions, he mused. Since by now everybody knew he was suffering from almost complete amnesia, Zero could take advantage of the fact, allowing his silence to take care of things around him.

_ Well not all things_, he thought. _Siri and Isis won't fell for it. But it's ok, I guess. They were a great help while I was fighting Aztec Falcon._  
The recent memory caused many more questions to sprout in Zero mind.

_ The fight with the Golem and with Aztec Falcon. These are the two major battles I have fought in this new life. Both of them have something in common, but what?  
_  
The crimson warrior concentrated hard, recalling the two instances and replaying the events in his mind. He remembered the sensation as he severed both of his enemies in half, the pure feeling of pleasure mixed with another urge. His memories were a bit hazy, but he found the answer.

_ During both of the fights and especially after Falcon zapped me the first time, I lost control. Or more accurately, I wasn't the only one controlling my body. The second time he electrocuted me, it wasn't so painful. Or rather it was just as painful, but I recovered much easier, casually shrugging off the same attack that nearly killed me a minute before.  
_  
Zero thought about it for a long while, then dismissed the incident as instincts of his former life taking over. His thoughts drifted to the new reploids he had met today. Colbor was casually friendly, while Bolthor managed to extract a promise for a sparring match from Zero. Even Bianka had become a bit more talkative after a while. The red hunter couldn't help but feel an inner satisfaction for saving those two along with the rest of the prisoners.

_ Were there such satisfactions in my old life, such serene moments were one can actually enjoy life?  
_  
Zero recalled what he had overheard at the briefing. Bolthor and Bianka would join Colbor and some of his men on a warehouse raid. Ciel wanted to secure an adequate amount of energy crystals. She had said that, since missions are getting more and more difficult each time, they ought to amass a safety energy deposit while there was still time. Even though he had only recently met these people, Zero couldn't help but feel a bit worried about them. Sure, Bothor and Bianka were able to put quite a fight by their looks and Colbor was a seasoned commander, but try as he might, Zero couldn't push back a lingering feeling of dread.

* * *

I'm not too happy about the chapter, but it will have to do for now. My updates will become rare for the next weeks because reality hates me, then I might update more often for a while and then I will halt for a month or so... Nothing is certain though...  
I have a slight LOTR reference, a slight NGE one and a very slight Hellsing one this time, btw. And yes I'm gathering a support cast for Zero. He will need some help... 

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** If I actually manage to write all those chapters, yes, I will try to describe every mission. I might skip some things, as the second fight with some minor bosses at Neo-Arcadia, I might enrich or alter some, perhaps giving Zero some aid, and I might add some more missions of my own. In effect, I have no damn clue;-)

**To MAD-MAN:** It's easy to count words when the word processor does all the work. Pages can contain any size of fonts and, anyway, I type directly. I have great plans for Elpizo. The poor sob must become qualified to be commander.

**To Shadow Enigma:** Glad you liked the X hacking job. Wait until the virus starts working. Since few people review your work, you are justified to take your time. I can wait, though there is too little traffic in Ffnet those days...

**To Prjct.WAR:** Well, I hope when you reach here, you will still like what you see...

**To PhiloWorm:** As you have seen, the thunder chip was acquired a bit more subtly. A giant floating tablet with a thunder on it just won't appeal to me;-) I have read the script of all MMX games, but haven't played all of them yet. In due time... I don't know much about the classic megaman games, though I have heard about the wearable dogs (LOL). I don't know... Dogs are used extensively. Perhaps another animal... For the time being, those two cyber-elves are quite good sidekicks. Next trial is a fight with Zidon's mirror image. A solid, perfectly copied mirror image. (satanic insane laughter)

Btw, do you remember Elpizo's second in command in MMZ2? The reploid with the blond short hair. Is anybody certain about its name and/or gender. Looks like female to me... And why the hell does Zero fight Copy X MKII in orbit at MMZ3? The background isn't just a decoration... damn plotholes...


	15. Megaman tactics

I'm back! At least for a while...  
I will be inserting more characters gradually, but it will be slow, so that I can develop them properly. No worries, Zero is still our main character.  
So, without further ado...

* * *

Chapter 15: Megaman tactics

#Incoming transmission.

Message level: yellow

Encryption code: AYBABTU

Secondary encryption code: TOEZ-FGJ

Message decoded...

From Elisa To Dr. Ciel

6:05 am

_Our branch is ready for operation 'Dusk'. We will infiltrate at the same time as your teams as per schedule. We expect mild defenses in and around the research center_._ I will lead the infiltration team myself just after I finish this message. In case I don't return, I wanted to thank you for everything. Good luck with your operations and peace may prevail._

Ciel sighed at the message projected on her screen, then sipped some coffee from her cup, caffeine trying to wake up her still half-asleep neurones. Her visor indicated it was 6:15am. She had just woke up after a full night's sleep, something rather unusual for the ever occupied scientist, but mandatory to ensure she will be able to cope with this day's trials.

"Ten missions from only our base", she whispered. "And twenty more from the branches."

The 'branches' were semi-autonomous Resistance clusters that, while they were in co-ordination with the main base and recognised Ciel as the general leader and founder of the Resistance, they were not under the complete control of the core, often taking on secondary missions around the globe. This time, however, all the operations would take place at roughly the same moment in order to confuse the Neo-Arcadian army. Furthermore, half of them were decoy missions, meant to cover the actual ones.

"Be safe, Elisa", muttered Ciel, draining her cup and leaving her quarters.

* * *

_Zero ducked a horizontal wide slash and counter-attacked with a sucker punch. His larger opponent blocked with his unoccupied hand, then raised his beam sword for an overhead chop. Zero placed his Z-Saber to block the reckless move, but the white blade stopped in mid-air as its owner delivered a mighty kick instead. The red hunter was caught off guard and went flying, but quickly regained his wits, repositioning his feet to meet the incoming wall, then propelling his body back towards his opponent with lightning speed. The large reploid side-stepped frantically avoiding the full force of the saber that was extended as a lance, but failing to avoid the following kick that send him sprawling on the floor. Zero touched the ground, made a roll and found his footing. Without missing a beat, he dashed at his opponent, who had just recovered, and went into a flurry of slashes, feints and chops, taking the offensive and leaving no quarters. His opponent was taken back by the sudden outburst, doing little more than blocking the hits. After a full five minutes, Zero jumped backwards, his breath coming out in gasps, sweat dripping from his face. His adversary was all too happy to take a breather, being equally if not even more exhausted, his barrel-sized chest heaving up and down._

"_Damn, Zero. You are as ruthless as ever. I don't know how I blocked all those hits this time. Dumb luck, I suppose", he said, a weary smile on his face._

_Zero smiled too. "Sheer skill, you mean. You have improved much from the last time. I wonder where you find the time to train so much. You are supposed to be drowning in paperwork just like me." _

_The white, black, red and golden armored reploid eyed Zero critically. "Since when do you let paperwork prevent you from training, Zero? X told me a story involving a large paper stack and your saber, a while ago."_

_Zero frowned mockingly. "X should keep his mouth shut. Especially now that good ol' Cain wants to step down from his position and let some new advanced CPU bureaucrat take over."_

"_Worried they'll kick your sorry butt out of the hunters? In such case, we could use a new clerk at Repliforce"_

"_And those will be your last words, comrade!", bellowed Zero, rushing forward, his blade ready._

_His opponent kept his smile in check and rose to take the challenge, but Zero stopped short and leveled his right hand vertically, forming it into a buster and letting a large shot. His adversary was caught of guard and haphazardly managed to deflect the first shot with his blade, but the second one collided squarely on his shoulder. The reploid groaned as his left hand went numb, then raised his sword to block a rapidly descending green saber. The two warriors remained in standstill for a few seconds, then Zero started pushing his opponent back, able to use both his hands, while his adversary was limited to one. They stared into each other's eyes for a second, then they both exploded into motion, Zero reversing his grip and jumping high, slashing downwards, his rival ducking low then slashing upwards._

_Both combatants fell to the floor, their bodies unable to move, then, as on cue, a door opened to reveal a blue-armored reploid with a cheerful expression._

"_Are you here, Zero? Wait till you hear Double's new joke. It was..."_

_The newcomer stopped short, his expression changing to one of pure disbelief. "Zero, Colonel, what, for all that is pure and holy, happened? Are you alright?", he said, dashing to the two prone forms._

_Zero chuckled, vainly trying to move. "Perhaps we set the stun mode level a bit to high", he managed to say._

_The blue-armored reploid raised the two blades that were still activated, regarded them for a while, then frowned. "Are you out of your mind? Can you even spell spar? As in 'not kill each other'?"_

"_It's not as bad as it seems, X", said the larger reploid. "It's boring to fight with too powered down weapons."_

_The blue reploid shook his head. "I would expect that from Zero, but I thought you were more responsible than that. Your sister will have both your heads if she finds out."_

_At long last and with the blue reploid's help, the two combatants rose from the ground and shook hands._

"_Shall we count it a draw?", asked the white armored reploid._

"_Indeed", responded Zero. "You will have to do better than that, Colonel, I'm two points ahead of you._

_The large reploid saluted in militant fashion. "We shall recuperate and retaliate soon, oh eternal rival", he declared, his mouth twitching. _

"_Challenge acknowledged", responded Zero, returning the gesture._

"_What am I going to do with the two of you", lamented the shorter reploid. "At this rate, you will kill each other someday", he said chuckling._

"_So, how is my sister managing?", asked the white armored reploid while stretching to rid his artificial muscles of the remaining numbness. _

"_She is doing great, Colonel", responded the blue armored reploid. "She was unlucky enough to get that soul erasers incident for her first spot, but she prevailed. I'm pleased with her performance and so is Zero. Perhaps too pleased", he continued, eyeing the red armored reploid critically._

_Zero scowled. "What does that suppose to mean? We have a perfectly professional relationship. Watch your mouth, X. Colonel here has a name for beating the crap out of every male that treads too close to his petite sister", he said, only half seriously._

_The large reploid laughed heartily. "I can't deny it, can I? They were trash, anyway and my sister wasn't even interested. But with you, Zero, that's another story. You are one of my best friends, and I trust you, despite your infamous, multiple and notoriously brief relationships. Furthermore, she seems to like you, too", he added, winking uncharacteristically._

_The blue reploid smirked. "Indeed, I have caught her stealing glances on our crimson wonder here many times."_

"_Get off my case, both of you", retaliated Zero, vainly trying to subdued his laughter while leaving the training room._

"_Whatever you say, Zero. Just don't let her wait tomorrow noon", shouted the blue armored reploid behind him._

"_It's just a work lunch", he responded._

"_If you make my sister wait, I **will** beat the crap out of you, Zero."_

"_It's just a freaking work lunch!"

* * *

_

Zero opened his eyes slowly, reveling in the light of the new memories revealed to him, a content and somehow relieved smile on his face,

"So, I was more than just a killing machine in my previous life", he muttered, replaying the spar in his mind again and again.

At long last, the red hunter rose from his comfy bed and summoned his armor and weapons that appeared on him in a flash. He then proceeded to run a complete check to all his systems, frowning at the fact that some of the test logs remained inaccessible, but confirming his body was at peak performance, ready for the trying day ahead.

Zero reached the mess hall some minutes later, to find the grand chamber almost empty, but still quite crowded for such an early time. He regarded the faces of the soldiers, guessing that most if not all of them would take part in the day's operations. Their visage was grim, a reminder of the dropping rate of success in the missions, but otherwise determined. Zero sighed, knowing fully well that some of them might not return. He hastily made his way to the counter, not allowing his morbid thoughts to ruin his bolstered mood, only to find three half-asleep reploids in charge of serving. One of them inquired about Zero's preferences, then lazily compiled the order. At that moment, a booming voice resounded from the adjacent kitchen, causing the cooks to hop on the spot.

"And you call yourselves professionals? Wipe that sleepy face of yours and speed things up a bit. The day's too important to slack around. And if a blasted white cyber-elf comes complaining again about her blasted crystals being bitter-sour, tell her she'll be tomorrow's blasted main plate!"

Zero picked his tray, chuckling at Viny's explosion that had served to completely wake up everybody in and around the large room. He made his way to an unoccupied table and started enjoying his breakfast, eager to exploit every second of respite before the inevitable. Said inevitable came in the form of three reploids and two cyber-elves that soon joined him, their spirits high. As everybody ate their way through their respective plates, Bolthor and Colbor started trading jokes and were soon joined by Isis. The white cyber-elf uttered a mightily off-color one, causing Bianka and Siri to flush and gaining a mighty jab from the multicolored elf, landing in her plate. Soon afterwards, everybody was laughing, Zero sharing the general mirth but keeping quiet at least compared to Bolthor's bellows.

After everybody subsided, Bolthor assumed a businesslike attitude and turned to regard Colbor. "So, commander, are the final plans laid yet?"

The militant reploid shook his head. "The main lines were determined yesterday, but we still have to decide about some important details and tie up some loose ends."

Bianka soon joined the conversation. "Could you give us a premature briefing? All of us here possess some experience with covert ops, and we could help."

Colbor nodded in agreement and produced a paper-thin, flexible screen, placing it on the table's center.

"This is our target, the sixth energy conversion and storage plant. Its main function is to coordinate the mining of energy crystals from nearby excavations, purify the material, store it and distribute it. The place is heavily guarded and doubles as a military outpost."

A map appeared on the screen, depicting a large complex surrounded by low mountains.

"As you can see, the outer defenses are almost impenetrable. High walls, manned turret towers, sensors, S.A.M. turrets, pretty much like a fortress. But.."

Colbor touched the screen and a network of random crisscrossing lines appeared, overlapping the map. "...we have founds the tunnels of an abandoned mine that will allow us to bypass their outer defense ring. Thirty of our soldiers will participate, but only ten of us will actually infiltrate. The rest will act as decoys."

A wide road that extended from the complex's gate was highlighted and a dot flashed on it at some place away from the fortress.

"We know that a large convoy carrying raw energy crystals will pass from that road roughly at the time of our mission. Five of our men will act as scouts, preferably on the surrounding mountains, and the rest will attack the convoy. We know we can't possibly defeat them because they will be heavily armed, but our mission is to pin them down. We will be concealed on higher ground and thus have the advantage. The plan is for them to request reinforcements from the complex, leaving less numbers for our infiltration team."

The map zoomed in a few times and Colbor indicated a part of the enemy complex. "This is warehouse #13. It's one of their auxiliary crystal depots and the least well guarded. It is quite secluded from the main complex, only connected with a single path. There is also a Transerver close, the only option we have to move the crystals."

"This sounds too easy", responded Bolthor. "I guess there is more to it."

Colbor sighed and nodded. "Unfortunately, there is. The tunnel will lead us under a deserted building within the complex. But to reach warehouse #13, we have to pass through a wide, open area. And there is an enemy garrison blocking our way."

His screen indicated a wide, walled area. On the upper side, a flashing sign reading "#13" was visible. On the lower side, there was a building with another sign reading "entrance point". The open area in between was dominated by a circular building in the middle and three small square ones flanking it.

"The building in the middle is the security tower that doubles as barracks. The rest are small, manned bunkers, supporting the tower."

Bolthor let out a whistle. "This place is well guarded. The tower's sensors notify the bunker personnel of incoming danger and the bunkers protect the tower. I don't see an easy way through it. At least not with only ten people. I trust there is a plan?"

Colbor smiled faintly. "There is a plan, but with a major flaw. One of our contacts provided the schematics of this area. The bunker closer to our entrance point protects the lines that provide power to the area. "

"So we will neutralize the bunker and severe the cables. Sounds easy."

Bianka shook her head. "It's impossible. As soon as we do that, the whole complex will be on us. Even without power, we still need time to reach the warehouse and trans the crystals. And don't forget that the Transerver needs power."

"And this is where the fragile part of the plan is. Dr. Ciel will access the tower's security server and keep the tower occupied. Our team will reach the bunker and quickly disable the garrison. Then we will sever half of the live cables."

Everybody turned to regard the commander, who waited for dramatic pause before continuing. "You see, the whole complex is protected by multiple jamming shields that prevent all communications and unauthorized teleportation. The tower and the bunkers communicate through physical lines and so does the rest of the complex. By cutting the power, we would utterly cripple their communications, but we can't do that. A total blackout would alert all the complex of our presence and this is meant to be a stealth mission. We have cloak generators that can fool the bunker's occupants for a while, but we can't approach the tower safely. By cutting half of the power, the security server will have to decide where to distribute the remaining energy. Dr. Ciel cannot casually shut down systems, but she can influence which systems have power priority."

Bolthor was intrigued. "So you power down the tower sensors, the weapon systems, the communications and the shield generator..."

"...and keep the Transerver and the buildings' interior powered", added Bianka.

"Exactly", responded Colbor. "Even if somebody notices the sensor's failure, it won't turn into a major alarm but will be treated as a malfunction instead. Dr. Ciel can mask the reports and we will retain communication while the enemy won't. As soon as the sensors are down, we sneak past the tower and reach the warehouse undetected.

"It's brilliant", said Siri with awe, floating above the screen. "And allows for few casualties from both sides. Isn't it wonderful?"

"That's boring", scowled Isis.

"And I can see where the major flaws are...". Everybody turned to regard Zero that had remained silent all that time. "Ciel is capable, but she is only one person. If an operator notices the security breach, a team of counter-hackers will go against her. And, of course, I'm still worried about the tower. It's sensors and communications will be out of commission, but there is also a 'nest' on its top. A capable sniper can pick half of your unit with a simple infrared sensor before you clear his range. And a simple, crude flare will send as a clear message to the rest of the complex as they'll ever need."

Everybody except Colbor remained silent, weighting the plan's weak points. The commander nodded gravely. "I'm impressed Zero. These are exactly our problems, and the details we have to settle."

Zero remained silent for some seconds, then turned to Isis. "Will you go with them? They need your help."

Isis was taken aback from becoming the center of attention so suddenly. "But you need me too, Zero", she protested. "Have you forgotten you too have a mission during that time?"

The red bomber chuckled. "My mission will be back in that shabby laboratory. Chances are there won't be a single opponent. Siri can help me with any jammed locks, while you will be bored out of your mind. On the other hand, you can go with Colbor, enter the tower before the attack and help Ciel hack the system. Then you will open the tower's door and the team will quietly go inside, neutralizing snipers, flares and other hazards."

The white cyber-elf was still unsure. "But I want to go with you, Z! Trouble follows you around!"

Zero crossed his arms. "You can either come with me and do nothing, or help our friends here come back alive. And of course...", he added, his eyes amused, "...you get to infiltrate the enemy fortress first and save the day."

Colbor clapped his hands. "Well, I'll be damned, but that might just work perfectly. Please, Isis, do lend us your extraordinary skills."

That was exactly what the cyber-elf needed to hear. "Very well", she declared with a deadly serious voice, "I shall assist you, commander, but only because Z asked me", she added, performing an exaggerating militant salute, then turning to Siri. "And you'd better take care of him, because otherwise I'll bite your head off!"

* * *

"So is this another infiltration-slash-detonation mission, doc?"

The old man on the screen frowned. "Hardly Axl. This is not another mechaniloid factory. My scans reveal nothing and I have confirmed it is neither a Neo-Arcadian depot nor a Resistance cluster."

The black-armored reploid scratched his head. "A third party, then? How sure can we be about that, doc?"

Dr. Light's apparition smirked. "We have cross-referenced it with Tone's friend."

The violet reploid in question gave a thumps up to the black tiger. "If good' ol Orson knows nothing about it, nobody does. He somehow even knows who Fairy Leviathan dated the last three days, though I can't begin to imagine any of his customers that would know such spicy info."

Axl shook visibly. "Don't remind me of her, dude. I barely escaped with my life after I met her."

"Honestly Axl, w...what were you thinking? Anybody would be enraged after that one."

Axl frowned. "Shut up, Case. How should I guess that that beautiful, smiling, polite and fragile looking reploid was a guardian of all things. And that the form I assumed was one of a loser?"

"You also forgot sharp, well-built, intelligent and... gifted, Axl. And you played the drunk lover role of all things."

"Shove it, Pulse", responded Axl to the large emerald reploid that just entered the room. "When have you picked up a sense of humor, anyway?"

"I believe it was after viewing your mission's video feed 'her dear Elpizo'", chuckled Pulse.

Axl turned to regard the fourth person in the chamber. "You have showed that to everybody, haven't you, Font?"

The diminutive reploid smirk uncharacteristically. "I c...couldn't resist, Axl. And after all, I learned those things from the best."

"Me and my big mouth..."

"If you have quite finished, children, may I continue with my unimportant briefing?", asked the old scientist, his voice sharp but somehow amused too.

Pulse laughed aloud. "What's up, doc? Woke up on the wrong side of your CPU?"

What should have caused laughter, produced silence instead, due to its source. While Tone would usually sprout such jokes, Pulse was not known for flippant attitude.

Axl, Font and Case raised a brow, while Dr. Light seemed concerned. "Are you sure you are alright, Pulse? You are not yourself today."

"It's simple, really", said Tone, gaining everybody's attention. "If you remember, we were forced to sync three days ago. That's exactly the reason why we want to avoid it, but when it can't be helped..."

Dr. Light regarded the brothers anxiously. "Are you sure you will be okay? I can try and develop a method to lock your individual personalities during fusion. Perhaps we should postpone..."

"We are both fine, Dr. Light", responded Pulse in a voice filled with finality. "We know you wouldn't send us on a mission unless it was important and everybody here trusts your judgement."

"I wish I could say that for myself, Pulse, but thank you. Anyway your mission is to scout, not neutralize, at least until we can assess this new factor. There is always a possibility to encounter something interesting there."

Axl regarded the scientist's image pryingly. "You sound like you have an idea of what we can expect there, doc. Mind sharing your thoughts?"

Dr. Light smiled. "I can only speculate, Axl, but think about it. Whatever it is there, it can completely evade my scans. You were around that last two centuries and you have seen the unusually rapid technology development. And more specifically, development whose source is questionable."

The black hunter smirked. "You were behind that, you wily old man, weren't you?"

Dr. Light's image shivered for a second, as if unsettled by something, then responded, an eerie smile on his face. "While I must confess that some of my descendants and I have been secretly introducing breakthroughs for a long time, we can only claim a fifth of this development. The rest, I have no idea from where they come. And I have encountered some pretty interesting scientists on the global Network, whose work is admirable, but whose identity is an enigma. Which I guess is exactly what they say about me, too."

Tone laughed aloud. "So, chances are we will meet another wizened, genius ghost in a machine."

Dr. Light became gravely serious. "Remember that Weil is still out there plotting. Omega might be currently orbiting around the sun, but that won't stop him. Be careful out there. I may be a computer program that thinks he is a human, but I still have a bad feeling about that."

* * *

Ciel was standing in the Transerver chamber, her facial features set, as she was personally greeting every single soldier that stepped on the teleportation pad by name while giving advise and good luck wishes. Zero, Cerveau and Colbor were standing at the side of the room, watching the scene and absorbing every detail.

"Ciel seems to know most of the reploids personally", remarked the red hunter.

Cerveau and Colbor exchanged knowing glances.

"You don't even know half of it, Zero", said the engineer smirking. "Ciel regrets for every single soldier she sends out there. I sometimes have trouble believing she is a human. I couldn't think of a better person to be the Resistance's leader. She is compassionate to a fault, though she can be stubborn at times." The smile vanished from Cerveau's face,. "And every time someone dies out there, she utterly and exclusively blames herself. She might have hidden it well, but she was really shocked after you rescued her."

Colbor made an angry face to the mechanic, while Zero raised a brow and looked at both of them questioningly.

The engineer shook his head. "He has the right to know, Colbor. And Milan was your friend, too", he said annoyed, then turned to Zero. "You might not have noticed, but just before Ciel woke you up, she had just lost some very important persons. When we decided to go and find you, nobody expected the blasted Neo-Arcadians to find out. Ciel went along with a small unit of fifteen reploids, equipped with weapons adequate to repel rogue mechaniloids, but not enemy soldiers. Along with her went one of the best commanders we had, Milan. You might have seen his body, a tall reploid with messy raven hair. Anyway, Milan and Ciel were close friends and some say they were more than that. And of course, there was the cyber-elf, Passy."

"Cerveau!", muttered Colbor, indicating the reploid mechanic should really put a lid on.

"Let him talk, Colbor. I don't mind and I really want to know", said the scarlet hunter somewhat absentmindedly.

The engineer nodded and continued. "Passy was a cyber-elf and the one closest to Ciel, apart from Aluette. They were together for as long as I've known her. When they found you, you were in... let's say less than mint condition...Passy sacrificed herself to repair your body so that Ciel would be saved."

A long silence followed as Zero absorbed the new information. "I see", he muttered after a while, extracting curious glances from his companions.

Colbor stared at him concerned. "Are you alright, Zero?", he inquired.

The crimson wonder nodded. "Just fine, Colbor. I realized I should really try harder to be more useful around here..."

Before anyone could respond, a childish voice registered in their audio sensors. "Good morning, Zero", said Aluette, smiling innocently. "And to you too, uncle Cerveau, uncle Colbor. Why is everybody up so early?"

Cerveau reached down and raised the child reploid off the ground. She giggled and wrapped one arm around the engineer's neck, while holding her stuffed doll on the other.

"We are going out for work, Allouette", responded Colbor. "Ciel will be busy, too, so try not to pester her too much."

"I never do that!", protested the girl, while smiling mischievously. After a while, she sobered down and turned to Zero. "You all going to do something dangerous again, aren't you?", she asked earnestly.

The red warrior just nodded.

"Don't worry, Aluette, we will all be fine", said Colbor.

"I want to fight too!"

All three regarded the reploid girl as if she had just grown a second head.

"Why would you want that, Aluette?", asked Zero. "People die in battles."

The girl became deadly serious. "I know that, Zero, but all of you risk your lives out there. Even Ciel hardly rests at all. I sometimes feel completely useless."

The red hunter sighed. "Aluette, you are not made to be a battle reploid. And you are not useless at all. I am new here, but I couldn't help but notice how happy Ciel is when you are around."

"Ciel told me she will modify my body to become a grown-up when the time is right, Zero. But she says I'm not ready yet. And I know that many of the soldiers are also not made for battle, but they still fight."

"Aluette, why do you want to learn to fight?"

Zero almost gasped at the girl's response, or more accurately at the fire in her eyes. "I want to protect Ciel when she will need help, Zero. Uncle Milan did that and Ciel was saved. She has done so much for me and I can now do so little."

_Where have I seen those eyes before.? Or rather the expression in them. A reploid that abhorred war, yet he fought merely to protect. And he was one of the best._

Zero smiled to the girl. "Alright, Aluette. When we get some free time and if you still wish to do it, I can teach you a thing or two. It's the least I can do."

The girl regarded him in disbelief. "Do you really mean it, Zero?", she asked, her eyes growing wide.

The red warrior nodded. "YAY!" screamed the girl, scaring everybody in sight as she jumped from Cerveau's hold to be caught by Zero. "Thank you, Zero", she said, hugging the hunter.

_No, **I** thank you Allouette. You are giving me something tangible to fight for._

A few minutes later, it was time for Colbor's unit to trans. The commander inspected to make sure that every one of his soldiers was ready, but stopped in front of Bolthor and Bianka, regarding them curiously.

"Why haven't you two picked up a blaster or at least a beam weapon?", he inquired.

Both of them exchanged knowing glances. "No need for that, commander. Both of us have our own arsenal to work with", responded the large reploid.

Colbor reflected a bit on that, then nodded. The two reploids tuned to Zero and saluted. "Be safe, Zero", said Bolthor. "It would be a same to lose a friend we just met."

Zero smiled. "I almost feel guilty about it, Bolthor. I get a simple scouting mission while you get all the fun."

Bianka eyed the red hunter concerned. "Please return safely, Zero", she said at long last.

Zero nodded. "And you take care of Bolthor, Bianka. Make sure he remembers not to go berserk too soon."

"Well, Z, I still don't like that." Everybody turned to regard Isis, who floated from above. "I mean, I hope the mission won't be boring."

Zero smirked. "Remember, Isis. I deem you responsible to protect our friends. If anything goes wrong, I'll stuff you in an elf container and give to Viny."

The white cyber-elf saluted while sticking out a tongue.

After a while, Colbor's unit was gone and Zero stepped on the Transerver followed by Siri.

"Please be careful, Zero", said Ciel quietly. "Don't push yourself too much."

The crimson bomber smiled. "I would never do that."

The young scientist sighed. "I will provide you any help possible from here", she said determined.

Zero became serious and shook his head. "No, Ciel, I will be fine by myself. Even though Isis will be there, you still have a lot of work to do. And there are eight more mission requiring your attention. Just... forget about me for a while", he said, stepping on the pad and teleporting away, along with Siri.

"Zero..."

* * *

The pantheon guardian walked mechanically down the well-lit corridor of the facility, patrolling on the same route as always. This time, however, something seemed wrong. Wrestling with his programmed directives, the drone finally decided to investigate, leaving his usual path and walking in a side-corridor that was only dimly illuminated by the still not risen sun. All battle and alert routines kicked in, as he pinpointed one of the security cameras. The device was covered by a gooey substance and a cable protruded from it, connected to an tiny alien gadget. The X-droid went to alert the rest of the facility, but then it saw the floor rushing up to meet it.

The drone's head clanged on the floor loudly, causing five reploids hiding in the shadows to cringe. Still, they knew danger had been averted for the time being.

"Good job, Elisa", whispered one of the reploids to the female blonde that had just decapitated the pantheon.

The reploid in question regarded the speaker sternly. "I have told you to call me 'commander' during missions, Zak", she whispered back.

Zak smirked. "I love you, too, commander"

Elisa just sighed and motioned them to move. They had rewired all cameras in their wake, hiding their presence and infiltrating deep into the research facility. Everything was going fine and the leader of the fourth resistance branch tried to calm herself down.

At that moment, her comm. came on line. "_Rouge here. The coast is clear ahead, but you have to hurry. There is a guard change in half an hour and you don't want to be anywhere near that place by then."_

Elisa nodded at her comm. then mentally slapped herself. "Roger, Rouge. What about the sublevel map? We can't go there blindly, you know."

"_Joan is working on it as we speak. Give us three minutes."_

"Make that two, Rouge. We are quite over our heads here."

"We'll do our best, Elisa. Over and out."

* * *

As the sun started to grace the grant metropolis of Neo-Arcadia, Fairy Leviathan returned from her customary early morning dip in the palace's pool, whistling an old popular melody. She absentmindedly ascended to one of the top sections of the main structure and, ignoring the loud snores coming from a nearby door, she entered her quarters. Minutes later she came out again and made her way towards the laboratories, ignoring Phantom that was hard at training, cutting hologram Resistance grunts to ribbons. Entering one of the multiple doors, she frowned at the spectacle, then sighed. In the midst of an ocean of contraptions sat Sage Harpuia, first guardian of Neo-Arcadia, sky lord and general of the Rekku legions. Right now, though, he was lying face-first on his desk, his terminal screen in stand-by mode.

_After so many sleepless nights, fatigue caught up with you, brother, _she thought in resignation, powering down the machinery and leaving the room.

"He sure tries a lot, doesn't he?"

The azure guardian turned to regard the new, unexpected presence, recognizing him from descriptions.

"So, you are the mysterious 'professor' that gave Phantom so much trouble. You sure are hard to find, pretty boy...", she said, smiling sharkly.

"And I believe you are the infamous Fairy Leviathan, honored Fourth guardian of Neo-Arcadia and one of the smartest, strongest and most smart-mouthed reploids around. You sure are hard **not **to notice", he retaliated in the exact same tone.

"You know I could kill you right now, don't you?", she answered teasingly.

"Though I generally abhor violence and war, I believe I would take that challenge. But of course, master X would have both our heads if he found out."

Leviathan sighed, despite herself. "Tell me about it. Since he returned, he is no fun at all."

The professor smiled eerily. "Indeed, I noticed that too. Nothing like before", he said, biting his tongue soon afterwards.

Without missing a beat, Leviathan turned to regard him pryingly. "You mean you have met master X before?", she inquired.

_Damn_.. "well, not really... I just..."

At that moment, the general alarm went on and a voice resounded from concealed speakers. "_All personnel to their respective stations. This is not a drill. The guardians' presence is required at the command center. I repeat, this is not a drill._ "

As the blue guardian dashed away, soon followed by a weary looking but determined Harpuia, the professor wiped his brow and sighed. "Saved by the bell."

After the four guardians were assembled, Copy X entered the command center, something he did rarely. "What is the situation?", he demanded.

One of the operators shakily approached, obviously intimidated by his leader's presence.

"We have multiple security breaches, master X", he responded timidly.

The maddened ruler scowled. "I'm aware of that, soldier. I need details!"

"Y..yes sir! We have a train raid in Northern America, a major street clash in India, a possible infiltration team in one of our research facilities, a Maverick prison break in Japan, an attack at one of our crystal mines in Egypt, a raid to the local enforcement center in Chile, an unsanctioned expedition on what is left of Australia, a convoy raid close to the sixth energy conversion and storage plant, a sabotage team in one of our pantheon factories in France, another raid to one of our energy mines in Canada and two hacking attempts at China and Brazil."

Fefnir let out a whistle. "Somebody has been busy...", he remarked.

Copy X shook his head. "Give us some more details so we can assign the required forces. And raise alert level to code yellow."

Another operator came running. "We just got new reports", he declared urgently.

Copy X nodded for him to continue.

"We have a data leak close to Neo-Moscow, an energy warehouse raid in Finland, a golem factory attack in Madagascar and a train raid in Italy!"

Before anyone could comment, a third operator rushed in. "Incoming! A minor missile attack on Neo-Arcadia's southern wall and an ambush to one of our regiments in the North Pole!"

Copy X shook his head. "Override last order. Set alert level to code orange instead. This will be a long day..."

* * *

How is that for a cliffhanger, everybody? I have, what? 5 major plots running? 6.6. For everybody clueless, Rouge and Joan are the official English (more like French actually) names of the two operators in MMZ2 and 3. As for Elisa, she will be the blond officer of Elpizo. She has no official name that I know of, so I gave her one. And as for the professor... Well, use your imagination;-) Also, the encryption codes at the beginning hide a meaning. A Famous meaning...

**To mad-man:** Yes, I thought so too. If that's a tower, it surely is a high one. You can see the earth is round o.0. Perhaps an orbital elevator? Do such things still exist?

**To MyGBAcanTalk: **I won't spoil and that's a first. I hope you are patient, I going a bit slowly, I fear... Thanx btw.

**To Shadow Enigma**: You actually like my humor? YAY! Remember that when Zero woke up, he was almost a clean slate. Every single experience affects him immensely.

**To PhiloWorm:** I would say a pet dragon, but Shadow Enigma will skew me... A hawk would too be common... What about a panther? (gets clobbered by Drizzt Do'Urden fans) An armor cat? (gets shot by El-Hazard fans) A horse? (headshot...) Oh, I don't know... When somebody passes a trial due to dumb luck, the best thing the DM can do is repeat. Beginner's luck is named so for a reason. Only there are three clones now;-D

**To zidet: **Last time you let DS do the battle, if I remember correctly. Lazy, lazy... And where are your updates? I'm giving Aluette a personality here. I need the biscuit agents! Aw, Fefnir just got a bit drunk. Seen what kind of info about his sister gave to Orson?

**To Myhi: **Yep, you are sooo behind;-) Welcome back, btw. Even with Passy's help, Zero was only half-finished when he woke up. Yes I have seen fics showing every boss to be a cakewalk. Honestly how often does someone defeat an MMZ boss the first time... When I first played MMZ1, Aztec Falcon seemed impossible., Only one typo? If that's true, I can wish for nothing else:-).


	16. NeoArcadia strikes back

Nice to see you... see you read... whatever... Prepare for an action chapter with possible reploid deaths. No one major, but...

Isis: At least keep Colby, Bianka and Bolthor alive. I don't want to face Viny's butcher knife O.o

No fear, these won't die... Yet 6.6

* * *

Chapter 16: Neo-Arcadia strikes back.

"Hey, Mel. How many missiles do we have left?"

"Only one. Why?"

"Hell, shoot the damn thing and let's get out of here. We have achieved our objectives. Firing on the walls and baiting them. Now let get out of here before they swallow it along with us!"

"Cool down, they can't get us so fast. And we have to distract and confuse them for sure."

"Oh, I assure you you both have done a great job, far greater than you would ever imagine."

Both Resistance reploids abruptly turned around and beheld their demise. His face seemed young, but filled with anger, his armor was blue, white and golden and the air around him cackled with power.

"Oh, shit!"

Copy X smiled. "Too bad you won't live enough to celebrate distracting me."

The two reploids had every right to be horrified, but, to their credit, they managed to level their plasma rifles and last for three whole seconds.

Neo-Arcadia had swallowed the bait with titanium jaws...

* * *

Four figures raced as fast as possible on the snow-filled alley, tailed by twenty pantheon hunters, plasma shots raining around them. The sun had already risen some hours before, but it was invisible behind the blackish clouds over Neo-Moscow. The blizzard that was raging last night had now subsided almost completely.

The taller of the figures threw a smoke bomb behind him, hoping to delay their pursuers. At the same time, a lucky shot hit one of his companions on the shoulder.

"Fred! Are you alright?"

"Been better, Autruche . That smoke will buy us some time. How far is the end of the jamming shield?"

"We are almost there. Hang on."

The already injured reploid received a second shot on his leg, but managed to stay erect. Of course, his running speed was compromised. He turned to his companion. "Do you have the data?"

"Of course, but what's the matter?"

"Run on, I'll catch up later."

"But Fred..."

"That's an order, soldier!"

The three reploids continued running, while the forth turned into another, darker alley and promptly collapsed, his leg unable to support him any longer. Just as the Pantheons passed next to him, he sent three plasma grenades on them and started firing his weapon like mad, until a volley of shots silenced him.

The three other reploids ran some more, then teleported safely.

_Damn you Fred. You went and died you idiot...,_ though the tall reploid named Autruche bitterly.

* * *

Fairy Leviathan raced furiously in the chamber, as twenty operators tried to comply with her orders.

"So, is it done yet?", she asked impatiently.

"Give us a few more seconds, general... There, we established connection with both China and Brazil main servers."

"Good. I want a report", demanded the azure guardian.

"How soon, Milady?"

"Five minutes ago, soldier. Get to it!"

"We gained control of China. The enemies have cracked the Gamma database protections and are currently downloading it. There are six of them."

"Can we power it down?"

"Negative. They have blocked it."

Leviathan sighed. "Reinforce the rest of the databases."

"On it. The enemy finished with Gamma database and is now attacking Beta."

"Initiate variable password protocols."

"Initializing complete. They have slowed down."

"What about Brazil?"

The operator sighed. "We are trying to enter the server, but they have erected a proxy net to foil us."

The blue reploid frowned. "Keep trying. Release R-22 trackers to exit the proxy net."

"Roger."

"Warning, they have almost cracked the variable password in China. Forty digits left."

"Damn", swore Leviathan. "Set up a proxy net and fill it with tracker destroyers"

"They anticipated the move. They overloaded the proxy with spam data and it collapsed."

"Send them viral programs 33 to 56. Set priority to red."

"We stopped three of them. The rest are trying to break through."

"Optimize firewalls to 'Vanguard' state."

"Optimization complete. We kicked another one out."

"Give me feed from Brazil!"

"Our trackers just bypassed the enemy proxy net. We get abnormal signals, though the databases are still untouched."

"Work on it. Report from China!"

"The two last hackers entered Beta database. We can't stop them."

"Try inserting spam information on the database. As long as we write in it, they can't read it easily."

"Roger... One of them disconnected because of the spam flood. The last one continues slowly. Wait! He picked up speed! He multiplied his access lines!"

Leviathan groaned. "Fortify the Alpha database. They must not get there."

"Report from Brazil. We established full access to the server. There are ten hackers working. They started worming their way through Gamma database's protections."

"Set the files to write-only mode. Try to trap them into an infinite proxy net loop."

"Report from China. We have successfully repelled the last of them. The local operators are repairing the damage."

"Good work. Now everybody focus on Brazil. Is the loop set?"

"Affirmative. Four are trapped in it, but the rest tackled it with an infinite denial procedure."

"Damn. Optimize the firewalls to "Gigawatt" state. Also delete the proxy to kick the trapped ones out."

"Net loop deleted. The firewall blocked three more. Now only three remaining."

Leviathan smiled. "Wonderful. Now use counter-hacking software level six and attack them. They won't last long."

"Roger."

* * *

Zero opened his eyes and found himself in a familiar chamber. He walked through the blasted door, leaving the transerver behind and entering the next room, still filled with ruble and with the golem carcass still littering the floor. The red hunter only spared so much as a glance to the deactivated behemoth, then regarded the room's exit, which was free from obstacles.

"Can you feel anything?", he asked the multicolored cyber-elf that floated beside him.

Siri closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating on senses only a cyber-elf possessed, then nodded gravely. "There are many enemies ahead, Zero. Unlike what we believed, they have not evacuated yet."

Zero smiled. "The only reason I said I believed that, was to motivate Isis to help Colbor and the others. Since there are mysterious data about me here, I was sure we would have company."

"But Zero..", started the cyber-elf. ".. this is too dangerous. Maybe we should call Ciel and..."

The crimson bomber walked forward frowning. "This is out of the question Siri. Ciel has enough work today as it is."

After a while, they reached the high well he and Ciel had fallen the first time. A soft light that shouldn't be there was visible high above their heads.

"I'm not sure about it, Zero", muttered the cyber-elf.

The red reploid was ready to begin climbing the vertical wall, but then stopped and regarded the cyber-elf curiously. "Siri, why are you so overprotective? Don't you trust me?"

The electronic entity stilled herself in the air as if stunned by the question, then looked downwards. "I trust you, Zero, I always did, since I met you, that is. But now that Isis is not here, I'm not sure if I can help you as much as she would."

Zero first rose a brow, as if thoughtful of something, then closed his eyes and smiled. "Well, I trust you too, Siri. Isis may be loud about it, but you can be as helpful as she is, if not more", he said, turning to wall again and starting the long climb.

The cyber-elf stood there for a second, let out a sigh and then smiled too, following the red hunter and scanning ahead.

* * *

The first guardian of Neo-Arcadia opened his eyes, trying to shake away the uneasy feeling of teleportation. The understaffed local Union garrison saluted him in unison, then the commander walked closer.

"Your presence here is an honor to us, general. I just hope we would have met under more favorable circumstances."

Harpuia nodded. "Indeed, commander. But the time is pressing us and we must act now."

The commander nodded, then handed him a data stick. "This is the last report."

The green lord closed his hand around the stick and shut his eyes for a second then nodded and exited the room. He walked on the balcony of the tower he was in, reveling in the warm night air of Neo-Antofagasta, one of the few cities in Chile surviving to enter the Union.

"I will resolve this Resistance raid as soon as possible", he said to the commander, leaving the ground soon afterwards, his thrusters visible in the night.

As he flied above the city, his thoughts wandered into doubts he normally avoided to face. _So many reploid deaths, so much war and destruction. Why Ciel? Why have you turned against us? Why do you doubt master X? His actions might seem erratic, but he always wishes for the best. Can it be that not all the reploids accused of being Mavericks are really that?_

The jade guardian sighed heavily. As much as he tried to ignore it, to bury the realization under his sense of duty, he already knew the answer for a long time. No archaic Maverick would accept orders from a human and no human would stay alive around Mavericks for any amount of time.

_Still, even if they won't mindlessly slay humans, they are criminals, fugitives from justice and they are armed and dangerous, _he decided at last.

_They had no other choice._ Harpuia winced at the thought that inadvertently formed in his mind. He remembered how everything had started, how Ciel had tried to protect these reploids years ago, threatening him with her life. Back then, he really believed these reploids to be Mavericks, but now he knew.

_Why is master X doing that? Why lash against reploids? Is it because of the energy crisis? Is it currently so serious that we must choose between human and reploid? Is master X so desperate he has to make such a choice?_

His thoughts halted as he reached his objective. The 'enforcement center' was actually a prison for all intents and purposes. The prisoners where accused of been mavericks, but since no proof could be found and since the local laws where a bit more mild than neo-Arcadia's strict policy, they were kept in bondage until proven innocent instead of summarily being executed.

One of the walls of the building was completely torn down and a crowd of escaped prisoners was slowly pouring from inside. Next to the prison, there was a large hover van, its back doors wide open. The fugitives were entering the van one by one and were disappearing from sight. At first Harpuia thought they would use the vehicle to escape, but after a while it hit him.

"There is a portable transerver inside", he muttered.

But what really demanded his attention were twenty tied up figures. Half of them were the reploid staff of the prison and the other half were...

"Humans", exclaimed the green guardian.

Even though they seemed apparently unhurt, that was all it took to push the emerald warrior's doubts away, at least for the present. Phasing in his twin violet blades, the fearsome general descended towards the scene at top speed, a herald of justice and death.

* * *

"_May I help you, sir?"_

"I'm calling to check my order, can you help me please?"

"_Our duty, sir. I believe it was a pizza, sir?"_

"Yes, a king-sized pizza special."

"_The five ham slices are in place. The cheese is currently at the right spot and it has stopped melting."_

" Are the tomato slices in position?"

"_Affirmative, along with the ketchup."_

"Great. How long until the onion arrives?"

"_Since the cheese stopped melting, it should arrive soon."_

"I hope you haven't added tuna or shrimps."

"_No sir, at least not yet."_

"Splendid. We will return home in two hours, if everything goes well. Can the tomato slices keep the cheese from melting, even with the onion's interference, until then?"

"_We can do that, sir. The five ham slices are very helpful."_

"Excellent. Remember to cancel the order if tuna or shrimps are added. We must now shut down our mobile, because our plane is descending."

"_Roger. I wish you have enough money for the pizza, sir."_

"Thank you, we wish you the same."

Colbor deactivated his comm. and turned to regard his dumbfounded companions smugly. They were standing inside an underground mine tunnel, ten reploids with personal flashlights, all heavily armed.

"What the hell was that?", inquired Bolthor.

Without changing expression, Colbor responded. "All in all, the five scouts are in position, the convoy is pinned down by our soldiers, enemy reinforcements from the complex will arrive soon and they can keep them for more than two hours, unless more reinforcement come from Neo-Arcadia, in which case they are to withdraw."

"What about the 'enough money' line?", asked Bianka.

Colbor smiled. "They just wished us 'good luck'. Okay, everybody. We will shortly enter the complex's shield. Neither escape units nor communication devices will work past this point. Let's keep it quiet and stay sharp. On with the mission! Isis lead the way."

* * *

The white cyber-elf saluted and raced forward, illuminating the dark tunnels ahead. "I hope Zero and Siri are not seeing any action right now", she muttered.

As soon as Zero reached close to the large blue axis, embedded in the middle of the well's width, the contraption extended large flaps made of pure destructive energy and started rotating rabidly, effectively blocking the red hunter's ascend. Glancing higher, he saw many more such energy traps and sighed.

"I can try and stop them for some seconds, Zero", said Siri thoughtfully.

The scarlet bomber shook his head. "No need, Siri. We need you to conserve your strength."

Before the multicolored entity could respond, Zero air dashed to the opposite wall effortlessly and virtually ran up the wall before the lethal trap could catch him. Hardly slowing, he air dashed again, ignoring the electric flaps a few meters above and below him, then halted for some seconds before climbing again through the blind spot of the second trap. The third axis proved to be more difficult to pass, having no visible blind spots he could exploit. Zero activated his saber and leaped right towards the blue metallic tube. Before Siri could so much as utter an exclamation, the beam weapon embedded itself into the trap just as is started rotating, Zero hanging from his weapon's hilt, safe from the energy currents. Seconds later, the red hunter found himself standing upside-down, his whole weight supported by the firmly embedded weapon. As the energy flaps became completely horizontal, he jerked away towards the wall, deactivating his saber and scurrying upwards to clear the trap. His hand firmly clutching the wall, he turned to meet a very angry cyber-elf.

"Zero! What were you thinking! Why must you always be so reckless? Some times you are as bad as Isis. What if you have slipped?"

"I love you, too, Siri", responded the hunter chuckling while resumed climbing.

Siri's eyes went wide. "You do?... you what? Hey, wait for me, Zero!"

* * *

"Blast it!"

A military regiment composed of pantheon hunters and reploid soldiers was trekking through a frozen wasteland, led by Neo-Arcadia's second guardian, Fighting Fefnir, general of the Jin'en forces. Right now, though, said guardian might have wished being a pantheon instead. The mindless drones were not fazed by extreme cold. As for his subordinates, most of them did wish that too. The mindless drones were less louder and wouldn't swear every ten seconds.

"Damn it!"

A second figure approached the enraged reploid, her body levitating inches from the ground. "Oh, do cheer up, general. Even such an unlucky assignment can become... entertaining", she said low enough as not to be heard by the rest of the sentient troops in a highly suggestive voice.

Fefnir turned to regard the reploid beside him, making a face that clearly reflected disgust. Though Anubis was supposed to be the male Egyptian god of death, by some perverse sense of humor, Anubis Necromancess was female, despite being modeled after her ancient prototype.

"Anubis", he started, clearly annoyed. "I have repeatedly ordered you to keep your distance. And nothing good can come out of a North freaking Pole mission. If only I haven't picked the shortest stick... But nooo. Lady Fairy gets a cozy computer room and I get this iced up hell!"

"But, general. It's not like this cold can really hurt us", purred the jackal reploid.

Fefnir scowled even more, however unlikely that might be. "Okras, Anubis."

"Sorry sir?"

"Okras: those awful, green slimy food plants."

"I know, general, but what does okras have to do with cold?"

"Okras can't hurt us either, but they're still disgusting", declared the red guardian exasperated.

"Now, now, sir. Every trouble can be faced with the... right company", answered Anubis, leaning close to Fefnir.

The hothead guardian picked up his pace, causing the rest of his troopers to struggle trying to match his speed. "Anubis, I believe I have made it quite clear that I have no interest in you the way you do. No offense, but you have the face of a freaking pharaoh jackal."

The Egyptian warrior completely ignored the insult. "Well, nobody is perfect, dear general", she purred.

Fefnir groaned. "Remind me again why I still keep you as my second in command."

"Because you need me, general. Few can fight as I."

"Right...", mumbled Fefnir, but then his expression changed from one of pure misery to one of pure elation. Far in the pristine horizon, he could see the local Neo-Arcadian unit trying to fight off a Resistance force.

He turned to his men, now a completely different person. "Ok, everybody. Let's shake this godforsaken chill off our bones and heat this place up! Everybody, attack!"

* * *

Ciel was sitting in the Resistance command center, a chamber much less elaborate than the neo-Arcadian one, but equally active at the moment.

"Dr. Ciel! We have a report from our infiltration team in Germany. Apparently nobody has tracked them yet."

Ciel nodded to the operator and pressed a button on her keyboard to accept an incoming call. "Ciel here. Report!"

"_We are from eleventh branch, Dr. Ciel. We managed to take the data from Neo-Moscow, but we suffered a casualty."_

Ciel suppressed a sigh. "Ok, get away and stay low for some weeks. You did great."

Another call came in. "_Reporting from the China hacking team. We managed to download Gamma and Beta databases before we were kicked out. I know ours was a decoy mission, but still the data will be valuable. Have we bought the Brazil team some time?"_

Ciel shook her head. "We have no reports yet. Nevertheless you did a great job."

One of the operators urgently motioned Ciel to open the next line. "_We are from Brazil team. We are facing serious problems. Only three of us remain in the system and we require help."_

Ciel sighed audibly. She wanted to avoid it, but it just couldn't be helped. She had to do it herself. "This is Ciel. Give me twenty seconds and I will come. Over and out."

The young scientist turned to the rest of the operators in the room. "I have to help them. We urgently need those files from the Brazil server."

One of the operators eyed the girl concerned. "Will you make a digital projection, Dr.?", she asked gingerly.

"There is no other way", responded Ciel, moving her visor over her eyes and typing furiously. "As long as I'm unconscious, I trust you to take my place."

"We will do our best, Dr." responded one of the other operators, though the blonde could not hear him anymore. Her body was present but her consciousness was now translated into a long stream of data, traveling towards Brazil in lightning speed.

* * *

The five reploids that had just bombed the golem factory in Madagascar, were now running through the thick jungle to reach a safe teleportation spot. The sun that had only risen minutes ago, was hardly visible, his beams filtered by the dense vegetation.

"I still can't believe we made it", said the first reploid.

"Don't jinx it!", responded the second, chuckling.

"Heh, since nobody found us until now, we are as good as gone. Nobody can track us in this jungle."

"Will you two keep it quiet? You are disturbing the wildlife", said one of their companions.

"He is right you know. This is not an excursion. Tell them something, Harry... Harry?"

All four reploids stopped moving abruptly, their companion missing.

"Where's Harry", asked the first.

"He was right next to me a moment ago. He can't be lost."

"You two wait here. Garry, come with me. He might have stumbled. Garry?"

The reploid turned to regard his two companions, who where now pale. "He...he just disappeared out of thin air", stuttered one of them.

The reploid frowned. "Ok, I want all three of us to retain eye contact at all times and very slowly continue walking towards the exit point", he whispered.

His two companions nodded and started walking. But then, they were interrupted by a sharp noise that demanded their attention, turning their heads reflexively. When they looked back, they realized they were now alone. The two remaining reploids looked at each other, horror written all over their faces, then both broke into a dead sprint towards the only way that promised freedom. A few seconds later, one of them stumbled on an object that wasn't supposed to be there. Turning around, he saw something that caused his artificial blood to freeze. Next to him lied the headless body of his last companion. He glimpsed backwards, absentmindedly confirming that the gruesome object that had caused him to stumble was indeed the missing head. Every instinct, rational procedure and logic circuit in his head screamed for him to run, but a metal blade he never saw penetrated his scull, silencing his thoughts forever.

"Justice has been served", exclaimed Phantom emotionlessly, replacing his sword and teleporting away.

* * *

Zero cleared the last of the traps, pulling a yet more dangerous stunt, virtually catapulting himself upwards, passing a hair's width from the cackling field and clearing the well. Siri went to say something, but noticed a small grin on the red hunter's face and decided to keep her worries to herself. What demanded her attention instead, was a glowing brown sphere that was rabidly approaching the red hunter.

"Zero! Watch out!", she screamed as the rampant Flopper passed right next to her with insane speed.

The crimson warrior unholstered his buster in a flash, rabidly taking aim, but he seemed to hesitate for a while. At long last, he fired a single plasma shot that unerringly detonated the kamikaze mechaniloid, but he was still caught in the wide radius of the blast, shrapnel raining on his armor and damaging it mildly.

Siri circled the hunter furiously, as he casually removed some of the deeply embedded pieces from his body. "Why haven't you shot earlier?", she demanded.

Zero decided that telling her she would have been caught in the blast if he had fired sooner would only do harm, so he just smiled. "I guess I was a bit distracted", he muttered, resuming his march.

"But what about those wounds? Aren't you in pain?"

_Any damage from these blasted spheres causes pain, Siri. That's their objective... _"I'll be fine", he responded casually.

Siri decided to change subject, since she could do nothing for Zero at the moment. "I can see some of these pantheon drones ahead", she stated.

Five seconds later, a red blur passed next to the unfortunate X-drones, deactivating them with a single slash.

Zero resheathed his saber and sighed. "These droids are just waste of material", he muttered, regarding the inanimate drones. At that exact moment, he felt a warm feeling coming from inside his body. He questioningly turned to the cyber-elf, whose expression was one of pure disbelief. Following her gaze, he stared at his injuries sustained by the Flopper. And gasped as he saw them disappearing on the spot. A tiny log file revealed itself inside his mind.

#Event: Energy absorbing function on-line. Efficiency at 10 percent. Energy successfully absorbed. External injuries repaired.

"Well, I'll be damned", he muttered, still staring on where the swallow gushes on his armor and flesh were a second ago.

"Is that normal, Zero?", asked the multicolored entity gingerly.

The scarlet warrior chuckled. "How should I know, Siri? Effectively, I'm only a few days old. Most of the time, **you** know more about me than I do", he answered eyeing her critically.

Siri remained thoughtful for a while, then let an exclamation. "I think I know what it is! If I remember correctly, you, X and some select few other reploids have a system that has a chance to absorb energy from any enemy you terminate, using it to pump your repair systems to an overdrive."

"So it **is** something normal", asked more than stated the red bomber.

Siri smiled sheepishly. "Well, it's not I have ever seen something like that before, but it can't be bad, can it?"

"Yes, you are right. It is actually quite handy. It allows me to take more risks without worrying too much about the consequences", he said.

"Yes you are..." The cyber-elf stopped short, as Zero's last sentence fully registered in her mind, causing her to grow pale. "ZERO!"

* * *

"We managed to kick two of them out, milady. Only one to go now", reported one of Leviathan's operators, quite elated.

The azure guardian could not suppress a smile. "Great job, everyone. Just deal with this sucker and then we can throw a party", she declared.

Many operators present rejoiced at the proclamation. Leviathan's parties were legendary in Neo-Arcadia, something that had gained her multiple frowns from both Harpuia and Phantom. Not that she actually cared, though. Since she usually performed her critical duties flawlessly, nobody would tell her what to do with her free time...

Her sting of thought was severed by a report demanding her attention.

"Another hacker entered the server, milady. It's a good one, too."

Leviathan frowned. "One more can do nothing against us. Set up a proxy net, though. Better safe than sorry, they say."

The operators nodded and complied. "We have kicked the last of the first batch out. Only the new one remains and..." The operator stopped talking as his eyes went wide. "Emergency! The hacker has inverted our own proxy net. It traps our operators now!"

The blue guardian gasped. _Somebody really skilled is attacking us. Could it be..._ "Release jamming viruses to get her!", she ordered.

One of the operators turned to his general questioningly. "Her?", he asked.

"Get to it!", responded Leviathan, her voice now urgent.

"We released them and she seemed to have slowed down, but..." His eyes went wide. "She is using the viruses against us!"

One of the operator's screens went black, then a second, followed by many more.

"Emergency! The unknown hacker is somehow kicking us out! We can't stop it."

_Damn, it's her! _Leviathan rushed to one of the empty terminals and produced a blue visor. "Try to hold a few more seconds!", she ordered.

One of the operators gasped. "You are going for a digital projection, milady? That's too..."

The blue guardian scowled. "Just do your job, soldier. She won't just go easy on you because you have stopped trying!"

Ignoring the sheepish apology, Leviathan inputted a long string of data, then her body went limp on her seat, her mind traveling to Brazil. Seconds later, the last operator was kicked out of the system...

* * *

One of the reploids helping the prisoners to escape, happened to turn his eyes upwards, towards the night sky, only to see a purple light rabidly approaching. Using his night vision, he clearly registered the threat the single green-armored warrior represented.

"Incoming!", he shouted. "Power up your jet-packs!"

Under that order, twenty Resistance soldiers ascended to the sky, ready to face the first guardian of Neo-Arcadia. Harpuia effortlessly sailed through the night air, easily avoiding the erratic barrage of plasma shots concentrated on where he had been a second ago. _Fools_, he thought bitterly. _The sky is my home field. If you have been barricaded on the ground, you would be much more effective._ Not one to question his good luck or his enemy's stupidity any more than that, the jade guardian rushed to meet the first melee troopers that approached him. He parried a sword with his right saber, jabbing offensively with his left at the same time, causing his blade-wielding opponent to lose his balance, frantically trying to avoid the incoming strike. Predictably, his enemy lowered his flight level, to completely avoid the attack. Harpuia allowed himself a smile, as he landed a ferocious kick on his opponent's face instead, reversing his blade and striking backwards at same time, to injure a second reploid trying to sneak around him. The blade dug deep into the would-be assassin's chest, stunning him. Then the jade warrior, cranking his thrusters to the max to steady himself, used his considerable strength to pull the ensnared soldier forward, slashing at his jetpack and throwing him on his first adversary, causing both reploids to enter a potentially lethal free-fall.

He then turned to face another duo of opponents, only to stop short, a low whistling sound demanding his attention. Harpuia tilted his head to the left instinctively, letting a heavy, adamantine coated bullet, that could potentially pierce right through his armor, to barely miss him, leaving a white gush on his helmet instead.

_Damn, there is a kinetic projectile sniper down there. How rare! I must take him out before he plants a bullet through my head._

The emerald general concentrated hard, trying to decipher the sound of a second bullet aimed for him, while halfheartedly parrying two sword-wielding opponents in midair. He was rewarded a second later, when he heard the same low whistling. Acting faster than lightning, he jammed his blades on one of his opponent's sword hilt, causing the weapon to shut down, then grabbed the stunned reploid by the shoulder, shoving him into the bullet's path, while parrying attacks from the second reploid with his other hand. The guardian cringed, as the bullet passed through the unfortunate reploid's head, its mere force reducing it to a red cloud of reploid blood, then grazed his helmet again with amazing power.

_This is no ordinary sniper rifle. If the wielder had actually been skilled I would be dead by now._

The green lord concentrated solely on the Resistance soldier before him, meaning to overpower him quickly and then incapacitate the devious sniper before he had a chance to try another headshot. To his dismay, he found out that his opponent, while having low offensive capabilities, was quite skill on terms of defense. Harpuia tried an elaborate attack, slashing his left sword from upper right to lower left while jabbing with his right saber and kicking at the same time. His opponent somehow conjured a defensive maneuver, blocking both swords with his longer lightblade and using his jetpack to drive his opponent backwards, casing his kick to miss.

The green general was starting to worry. In a few seconds worth of time, the unseen sniper would get the opportunity to line a third shot, one he might not be able to hear. Deciding it had been high time he finished with this opponent, he disengaged, flying backwards. His adversary lost his balance and also dropped his guard, believing his opponent to be harmless from a long range.

Big mistake.

Harpuia smiled, as he whipped his swords in the air, releasing violet crescent waves of energy. His opponent frantically managed to deflect them, but his balance was forfeited in the process. To his credit, he blocked one of the incoming blades while the other dug unhindered right into his energy core. The jade warrior let the limp body fall, only to explode a second later.

The sniper on the ground let a profane curse, as the explosion momentarily blinded him. Seconds later, he managed to readjust his rifle's optic enhancer, and tried once again to lock on the dodging green demon. The last thing he saw, was a colossal violet energy blade heading towards him. Before he could move away from his weapon, Harpuia's sword passed cleanly through his rifle and continued, to be buried in the sniper's scull right up to the hilt.

The shrewd emerald lord of the skies, disengaged his saber sighing, then went to face the rest of his flying opponents, making quick work of anybody not fast enough to escape to the van's transerver.

When hell turned into a warm peaceful night again, Sage Harpuia phased out his weapons, a feeling of self-loathing filling his being.

* * *

Zero wall-jumped twice, then somersaulted in the air towards the middle of the room, chopping a cannon-featuring mechaniloid, that was perched on the ceiling, cleanly in half. Before his feet could touch the ground, he unholstered his buster, shooting and destroying a spiderbot hanging on the opposite wall. Fragments of a second later, a second cannon mechaniloid fell from the ceiling, Siri casually emerging through it.

"You are improving at this, Siri", said the red hunter cheerfully. "Isis couldn't have done that better."

The cyber-elf muttered something under her breath, obviously embarrassed, then floated forward to catch up with Zero who was already on the move.

After the red hunter casually defeated a mechaniloid that tried to pave him to floor with its huge spiked roller, the duo reached the final door before the stasis chamber.

"What can you feel?", asked Zero, while testing his weapons to make sure everything was in mint condition.

The iridescent presence concentrated for a few seconds, then gasped. "There are two huge energy signatures ahead, Zero. I'm not sure what we will have to face", she said, her voice uncertain.

Zero nodded. "You have been a great help, but don't be reckless. Stay here Siri. I'll handle it."

"No, Zero."

The red hunter regarded the cyber-elf curiously.

"I too want to help and to fight. This time I won't just stay back", said Siri, a peculiar resolve behind her words.

Zero smiled. "Well, as Isis said, I don't really have a way to stop you. Just be careful."

Both of them passed though the last door, entering the room in which the crimson hunter had spend almost a century's worth of hibernation.

And were greeted by a huge reploid resembling a bipedal elephant. His frame was two times Zero's height, but many times wider than the red warrior. His legs and arms were thick as tree trunks, featuring actual but gigantic fingers. His tusks were huge, sharp and obviously energy resistant, a long flexible trunk ending in a pincer between them. His armor was teal, featuring golden and violet finishing and bulky, causing his torso to resemble a huge sphere.

"Welcome, Zero. I have been expecting you. My name is Maha Ganeshariff and I'm in charge of data processing and handling information."

Zero's voice was sharp and icy cold. "I came to retrieve information that rightfully belongs to me. " While he waited for a response, the scarlet hunter turned to Siri. "Find the other energy signature", he whispered.

Maha chuckled. "You claim these data are yours, but you should know they belong to whoever finds them first. Except...", said the elephant, allowing for a dramatic pause. "Except if you attempted to defeat me and download them from my memory."

Zero regarded the reploid curiously. "But you are a researcher, not a battle model. How could you hope to fight?"

Maha smiled wickedly. "That's the beauty of it. This body has both the mind of a scientist and the strength of a warrior. And I have estimated what your power level should be without having your memories. My calculations are flawless. You may as well give up and surrender now, because you have no chance against me."

Zero frowned. "You are really full of yourself, fat boy. If that's what you want, I'll pry your memory from your dead body", he responded, his voice angered.

This time, Maha laughed. "Even if you could defeat me, you must make sure not to damage the data in the process. It's really hopeless. You have already lost this battle, you just don't know it yet."

This time, Zero smiled. "Bring it on, then."

Above the two reploids that were ready to engage in mortal combat, Siri followed the second energy signature she could not clearly identify. She phased through the ceiling and saw a whitish blue sphere of energy. Another cyber-elf.

As soon as the foreign entity realized he had been found, he tried to teleport away. At the last second, they turned and faced each other.

"X!", exclaimed Siri, her eyes wide.

Just before X disappeared, his eyes too went wide, a spark of astonishment evident in them.

* * *

I have been experimenting a bit with this chapter and I'm not sure if it came out ok. Too many small scenes... I made Anubis female, because her second name is Necromancess, which reveals female gender. But mainly because I think it is creepier and funnier that way;-)  
So we have the Maha battle, the cyber battle, the Fefnir battle, the Axl and co. mission and perhaps some more for the next chapter... So many story strings o.0

Since the site now provides a hit counter for free, I have seen how many people actually read this story. Not to mention the favorites or the alerts. Wow, are you really so many? Why won't you review? I won't bite, you know...

**To Shadow Enigma: **I hope you liked the 'okra' joke this time. Not sure if it's funny. I'm trying to create a connection between Zero and Alouette and also to develop her personality much more. Writing with another author? 0.o The horror!

**To dorklotus: **This phrase will die, along with the Internet. As long as the Internet exists, it's immortal. Who cares about a couple of centuries up or down? I can tell Capcom does not... --

**To PhiloWorm:** You forgot about Phoenix Magnion. Having a pet and a boss with the same name can prove frustrating, though a Phoenix is a good idea... Back to the basics. Instead of teleporting Zidon out of the castle, I teleported the castle away from Zidon. You don't even know where it is now;-)

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** Um... you couldn't see the button because the page was not fully loaded. Next time, try a reload;-) patience shall be rewarded. And perhaps I'll manage to tackle the island somehow. Only the future will tell... There will be many more flashbacks and many of them will be angsty ones...

For all you curious people, I have filled my profile with some junk. Yep, I did it at last... Also, since you have read since here, do notice that wonderful purple button next to the word review. Its value is your PC's weight...in gold;-)


	17. Data conflicts

Hi there people! With the last chapter, I broke the 100K words barrier. By 8 words;-) that's including the author notes, but never mind. Also, the next person to review will post my 101th review. It might even be... YOU!

Maha Ganeshariff: can we get this over with? I have a battle to win with my awesome calculations.

You haven't read the script, have you?-.-;; Anyway, on with the story. There will be mayhem this time...

* * *

Chapter 17: Data conflicts

- - -

The world around her was one of screaming alarms, flashing red lights and gates closing. Her military experience was the only thing that spurred her to continue to move, that discouraged her from letting terror reduce her to an inanimate rug doll. Her presence, in turn, was the only thing that encouraged her four companions to remain relatively calm and level-headed instead of surrendering to panic. Since secrecy would not be of use anymore, all the facility's sensors and sentinels being hot on their trail, Elisa and her four companions dashed through the steel corridors, barely evading the main security force or the ever-sealing gates that strove to confine them.

The female leader of the fourth Resistance branch tried to keep her thoughts and doubts silent, to focus on allowing herself and her comrades to escape, but her mind raced. _Damn, damn it all! As soon as we got the data, we grew careless. The fault is mine. I was supposed to be the team's leader, to guide and protect them. And yet I couldn't help dropping my guard._

Elisa's thoughts were shattered as a plasma shot missed her head by an inch, causing her mind to focus on reality again. She turned a half-circle, just in time to deflect a second shot with her small energy blade. Another member of the infiltration unit stepped next to her, a longer energy sword emitted from his wrist, ready to fight but keeping his ground.

What followed was a textbook battle. The five reploids faced a squadron of ten pantheon hunters, but superior numbers meant little in the narrow metal corridor. While the two blade-wielding reploids in front were deflecting the shots in random angles, the rest three pelted the X-drones with a hail of their own, protected by their comrades. As the pantheon's numbers started to dwindle, Elisa allowed herself to hope they still had a chance to escape unscathed. As if reality betraying her, a hidden compartment opened from the ceiling to reveal an automatic laser rifle, a rarity at best, since laser weapons were kept to a minimum, their energy consumption too great. Because of that, beam weapons were not ideal for reflecting laser shots which speed is unmatched. The highly concentrated shaft of light passed between the two defending reploids, unerringly striking one of their ranged-attacking companions, passing cleanly through his light armor and exiting from behind, opening a sizable hole too close to his energy core.

Before the contraption could fire a second shot, the two other reploids unleashed their fire, reducing it to scrap. As on cue, Elisa and her companion rushed on the three remaining pantheons, cutting them down swiftly, then returned to their injured friend that had collapsed on the cold floor but was still half-conscious.

Elisa's second in command, Zak, had placed his buster on the floor and was supporting the injured reploid, trying to steam the flow of lifeblood that was freely pouring from his bionic innards.

"How is he?" Demanded Elisa urgently.

Zak sighed. He possessed rudimentary field medic knowledge, but this case was quite a bit off his league. "I can do little for him here. We have to move him to somewhere safe first."

"Commander..."

Everybody turned to the injured reploid, as he staggered to speak.

"I'm here, Peter", said Elisa. "We will get you out of here."

The wounded one smiled. "Thank God and Light, everybody is unhurt", he said, a sentence followed by a blood ridden coughing fit, his systems slowly failing. "Leave me here and keep going", he added, obviously in pain.

Elisa scowled at the request. "Save your energy and stop talking nonsense, Peter", she said, her voice angered but almost failing. "Can we keep him stable for a while?", she asked Zak.

Instead of answering, the reploid in question regarded his surroundings and indicated a door further down the corridor. Gently moving the injured reploid, the team reached the door and opened it to see a large storage room. Zak disappeared between numerous rows of shelves for some seconds, returning with a smirk on his face and a box in his hands.

"I was sure there ought to be some handy medical supplies here", he declared.

A few minutes later, the wounded reploid was fast asleep, his life not in danger anymore.

Zak sighed and wiped his blooded hands on a towel. "This will do the trick for a while, but we have to get the hell out here as fast as possible. Any luck with the comm. systems?"

Elisa shook her head. "I can't contact Rouge. They blocked the signal as soon as we were found."

"We can't get him out the way we came and they will find us sooner or later, even though we seem to be currently safe. It's a lose-lose situation. We can't carry him out but we can't leave him, either."

Frustration danced before Elisa's face for a second, but was soon replaced by determination. She produced a disk containing the data they came to find, inserting it in a tiny device and creating a copy. "These are your orders", she said, turning to face the other two reploids and giving them the copy. "You are to barricade yourselves here and guard Peter. Zak and myself will go out there and try to disable the facility's shield generator. When that happens, we all use escape units and teleport out of here." Everybody remained silent, pondering on the risky plan. Elisa continued. "We two can move faster and stealthier than the rest. If nothing changes within forty minutes, you are allowed to try and escape in whichever way you can and... and leave Peter behind."

"We would never...", started the soldier, but was cut short by Elisa. "I said allowed", she said, smiling faintly. "In forty minutes, you are allowed to do as you may, because that would mean Zak and I have failed. Any other questions?"

* * *

Siri was left staring at the air, at the exact spot where X hovered a second ago. She tried to replay the moment in her mind, to confirm it really was X, the first reploid ever designed and perhaps the strongest one, the person that was supposed to be behind Neo-Arcadia's brutality. Quite lower, the battle started.

Zero's buster appeared in his grasp in a fluid motion, unerringly aimed towards the large opponent. Maha Ganeshariff regarded the weapon, then smirked, not even trying to dodge the incoming flurry of shots. The simple plasma bolts collided with his armor and were effortlessly deflected to illuminate one of the room's dark corners.

"According to my calculations, your handgun cannot even dent my armor", said the reploid chuckling.

Zero frowned at the words but remained silent, his buster still spraying shots. And had to stagger for balance as the great elephant took a step forward, causing a substantial tremor. The Neo-Arcadian noticed his astonishment and smirked, now walking faster and causing the whole chamber to shake and muddy water to be sprayed everywhere.

The red warrior kept his ground, then replaced his weapon in its holster and produced the Z-saber. Hardly wasting time, he dashed towards his advancing enemy, not the least effected buy the swampy ground and tried a slash on the bulky torso. The beam weapon bite hard into the teal armor but could not penetrate it with one slice. Before Zero could drive it deeper, the reploid's trunk lashed at him with astonishing speed and strength, catapulting him far away and causing him to land hard on his back.

"You are a bit faster than what I expected", frowned Maha, regarding the dent on his armor, "but still no match for me", he added smiling.

Zero collected himself from the damp ground, then eyed his opponent icily. "And what would **you** know about speed?", he growled, dashing forward for a second strike.

The elephant remained still, waiting for him, then extended his hand forward. Zero blinked and tried to stop his sprint to avoid what seemed to be a wall of fast-moving huge metal palms. To his dismay, Maha slowly moved forward, too, causing him to collide on the fluid attack that once again sent him flying.

"This is a technique I picked up from the old civilization. I believe it's named 'the Hundred Hand Slap", gloated the teal-armored reploid. "Of course, I have improved a bit on it."

Zero rose again to his feet, wiping a tiny trail of blood from his mouth and tried to conjure a proper tactic. His adversary seemed impatient. "Thinking will get you nowhere, Zero. I might still accept your surrender. Your only way out of this chamber leads to Neo-Arcadia. You just have to decide if you will reach it as a prisoner or as a corpse."

"Oh, I will reach Neo-Arcadia someday, I assure you. Breaching the walls in the progress", said the crimson warrior, this time smirking too.

Maha scowled. "I see. It's high time this fight ended. You lost Zero", he shouted, then extended his trunk to the high ceiling. The appendage gripped at the ancient but study surface tightly, then the reploid's limbs and head retreated securely inside his torso. Maha now resembled a spherical pendulum hanging from the ceiling and started waving like one, his trunk shrinking and extending accordingly to keep him close to the ground. Zero dashed away to avoid the immensely heavy sphere, clearing its radius, but the elephant swung a few more times then let go, transforming into a lethal kinetic projectile aimed for his opponent.

Maha laughed to himself. The red reploid had his back against the wall and no time to strafe left or right. The fight was his...

* * *

Fairy Leviathan materialized inside the Brazil main server and halted to regard her surroundings. All around her was a labyrinth of high columns and wide lanes where data of all kinds were stored or transferred. Ignoring the visual flow of data that streaked around her, the fourth guardian of Neo-Arcadia walked on the square, translucent tiles of the floor under a sky that was filled with seemingly infinite other networks, all glowing in the ambient darkness. She soon reached a wide plateau, just in time to see a large hand being confined in a data cube that shrank until the entity inside was shattered. The blue guardian knew her last operator's avatar has just been destroyed.

Ignoring the sight, she looked further and gasped at the scene, though she fully expected it. In the middle of the plateau loomed a grand pyramid, encased in a red transparent cubic field of energy. Just above the top of the pyramid, a small silver crystal levitated. The Alpha database. And before the great structure, a small figure was visible, her shape almost lost in the vastness of the pyramid. Her features were definitely humanlike but Leviathan knew more than that. Her strawberry blond hair and pink attire were a dead giveaway. In a fluid motion, the figure raised her palm, placing it gently on the red forcefield. The protective program shined violently as if in protest, then turned green and shattered, its pieces disappearing before touching the ground. The figure attempted to step forward, but suddenly stopped and glanced backwards to regard the new presence, her eyes growing wide.

"Fairy!", she gasped, then turned fully to face the guardian.

"Ciel!", responded Leviathan, less astonished. "I knew it was you."

"It has been a while...What are you doing here?", inquired the young scientist calmly.

Leviathan smirked. "I should be the one to ask that question, Ciel, but I already know the answer", she replied, indicating the hovering crystal. "Leave this place, or I will terminate your connection forcefully."

"You would attack a human, Fairy?", asked Ciel innocently.

The azure guardian smirked impishly. "Digital projection is generally considered risky, but we both know better than that, don't we?"

"Meaning?", replied the pink-clad girl, keeping the facade.

"Oh, come now, Ciel. We have taught each other too much for you to attempt to fool me like that. In the way we both are connected, the worse thing we can cause each other is a strong headache afterwards. I can live with that and so can you."

"So is it a fight you wish?", asked Ciel sighing.

"Don't take this personally, Ciel. I still regard you as my little sister, but you still won't get the data", replied Leviathan, a spear appearing in her hand.

"Bring it on, then", said Ciel simply, her voice calm and resigned.

The cyan guardian slashed at the air with her spear, forming what appeared to be levitating chunks of spearhead-shaped ice. The missiles stayed in the air for a second, then homed on Ciel, rabidly flying towards her. Without a moment's doubt, the Resistance leader made a fast motion with her hand, as if slapping the air, causing the ground tiles to change shape and rise to form a protective globe around her. The icy missiles collided with the barrier and cracked it, disappearing in return. Leviathan's ensuing smirk turned into astonishment, as the protective globe shattered, but instead of disappearing, its shards flew towards her as bullets from a gun-barrel. She frantically dodged most of them, parrying the rest with her weapon and deflecting them.

"Resourceful as ever, aren't we, Ciel. You have hardly changed these years. If anything, you have grown stronger... and more naive", said Leviathan, now smiling.

"Perhaps, but you have grown blind, Fairy. I expected more from you than just blindly following orders", responded Ciel sternly.

"Says you", shouted the blue reploid, a bit agitated, placing her palm on the ground. The panels before her twitched and shifted, turning into liquid, then a wave seemingly made of water erupted, remaining stationary for a few seconds while growing in height, to be unleashed towards Ciel soon afterwards.

The young human calmly regarded the tsunami, then extended her hand forward, her palm open but her fingers slowly closing to form a fist. Tiles disengaged from the floor and levitated around her, then changed shape and texture and merged to form a giant, crystalline sword, easily six times her height. The blade hovered in front of her, then shot forward, guided by the motions of her hand, and sliced the incoming body of water in half, the two smaller waves passing from each of Ciel's sides without touching her. Without missing a beat, the sword continued towards the cerulean general, poised to sever her in half.

Not a moment too soon, Leviathan rose her spear to block the incoming weapon, frowning at its power, but matching it. The two genius hackers remained at a standstill, their weapons firmly entangled, their eyes focused on their opponents.

* * *

Zero regarded the incoming ball of crushing demise, then unhesitatingly picked the less likely escape route. Instead of futilely trying to dodge left or right, he dashed forward, passing under the flying sphere and clearing its damage area in time. Maha's body rammed on the wall where he had been leaning moments ago, heavily reinforced material cracking under his weight and tiny, wet pellets flying everywhere. Not realizing he had missed his target, he again assumed his original form, searching the ground for the red hunter's remains. And was rewarded with a burning sensation on his back as a cackling saber almost sliced his armor in half. The great elephant turned around roaring, his trunk flying in a wide ark but missing Zero that had jumped out of its range.

"You are supposed to be dead!", shouted the teal reploid enraged. "You shouldn't be able to dodge that attack!"

Zero's smile took to his ears. "Perhaps a slight miscalculation? Have you estimated the ground's friction correctly? Perhaps that mosquito you swatted while flying affected your course? A rogue air draft? A reploid in China running?", he replied nonchalantly.

The Neo-Arcadian's face darkened but he calmed down. "Such insolence, not wanting to accept your fate. My specs are higher than yours. You have no way to defeat me."

Zero's smile dissipated in thin air. "You are pathetic, you know. Speaking about fate as if you dictate it. Once your 'precious' calculations prove to be a hoax, you are useless."

The scarlet reploid's words extracted a smile from Maha. "If you think what you have seen is my true power, you are in for a surprise", he snarled.

As on cue, his tusks disengaged from his head and went flying rabidly towards his opponent, spinning all the while. At the same moment, new tusks emerged from their place and they too went flying. Zero frantically leaped above the first pair of razor-sharp projectiles, then dashed under the second and towards Maha. The hunter's blade slashed on the first cut, deepening the dent, then Zero jumped backwards twice, once to avoid another hundred hand slap and once to avoid the first tusk pair that was returning to its owner in boomerang-like fashion. The great elephant had to interrupt his move to receive his weapons back, but smiled as the second pair or flying teeth grazed Zero's shoulder.

"Even if I was a bit off the mark, you will still be beaten, Zero", he declared.

The crimson warrior answered the remark with a level two charged buster shot that caught the elephant reploid right on the head, causing him to stagger backwards.

"It seems your calculations were a lot off the mark", said Zero, indicating his buster.

Maha growled in response and again assumed his sphere shape. This time, though, portions of his armor moved outwards to form spikes all over his normally smooth surface. The large spike ball that was now Zero's opponent rotated a bit in the air, gaining momentum, then raced towards the red hunter at top speed, a rolling wall of spikes threatening to squash him. The sharp stakes grazed the hard floor beneath the unclear water, causing chunks to fly everywhere, while the booming roar of the elephant's wake was amplified by the echo of the large chamber. Zero tried to sidestep out of the path of devastation, but Maha kept changing his trajectory unerringly, locking on the scarlet warrior. Time seemed to halt as the crimson hunter did the last thing he could to dodge the attack. He attempted jumping over the incoming doom.

* * *

Strain was evident on both Ciel's and Leviathan's face, each trying to overpower the other but finding her opponent equally determined. Since the battle of wills was stuck in a stalement, Leviathan started a battle of wits.

"So, Ciel. How is life among the Mavericks?", she asked innocently.

The young scientist smirked at the question and rose to the challenge. "Far better than following the orders of an insane ruler, thank you", she replied.

Leviathan scowled, driving her spear forward with all her might. "How arrogant have you become, defying master X like that?", she spat.

"Said the mistress of arrogance", teased Ciel.

Leviathan raised a brow. "Me? Arrogant? You can't prove that!"

This time, Ciel smiled widely, if not wearily. "I'm not the one whose digital projection is two feet taller than in reality."

The blue guardian frowned. "It's less than two feet", she declared hastily, but then cursed aloud, for she had just proven Ciel's point. The young scientist's sword pressed forward, driving Leviathan backwards.

The two opponents continued teasing each other, for this was a mental battle and the slightest distraction, the slightest self-doubt could determine the winner.

Accordingly, Leviathan tried to undermine her opponent's confidence. "You know you can't defeat me, Ciel. I'm a seasoned warrior, while you are just a researcher. You know it's futile."

The Resistance leader would not fell for it. "This is not a battle where physical strength wins, Fairy. We both know that, so save your breath", she replied smiling.

The azure general started to worry. Ciel was experienced in such battles and her endurance surpassed Leviathan's. Furthermore, the thought itself caused the blue general to lose ground.

_Ciel is too smart to fall for the usual mind games. Think, Fairy. There must be a weak point you can exploit. You know her since she was a toddler. Something she is uneasy with, self-conscious with...Wait a minute, I think I got it..._

"So, Ciel, how is your plaything?", asked Leviathan impishly.

The young scientist rose a brow, not fully comprehending the question.

"I have heard he is really... capable. That's what the rumors say", continued the sly general.

"What are you talking about, Fairy?", asked Ciel, still clueless.

Leviathan's smile resembled one of a shark. "I'm talking about Zero, of course", she continued. "It's high time you made a... relationship, even if he is only a mindless slave. But that's convenient for you, isn't it?"

The remark did a better job that Leviathan could ever dare to imagine, for it assaulted Ciel's mind, beliefs and personality in at least three different ways. Her concentration shattered, causing her sword to lose power. The blue guardian took the chance to swat the weapon away, launching a single ice shard, then dashing towards the human. The missile struck Ciel's arm, but was barely noticed as said human tried to recover her lost focus. At the last moment, with Leviathan's spear too close for her liking, she managed to guide the sword to intercept the charge.

Their faces a meter away, Leviathan's smirk was large as life. "Wow, that must have hit quite a streak", she teased. "Zero must be special..."

At first, as soon as she regained her wits, Ciel felt anger. Anger towards Leviathan for uttering something like that and anger towards herself, for falling for it. Then anger turned into self-doubt, one of the greatest hazards in the battle she faced. Quickly clearing her thoughts, she managed to calm down and regard her opponent's face, confidence of victory clearly visible. Then it dawned on her. An opponent's weakest moment is when he is about to win. Biting her lip, she prepared her trap. She inconspicuously moved her unoccupied hand behind her back while still controlling the sword with the other. A single digital panel left the floor to be transformed into an oversized gauntlet that enveloped her hand. Then she set the trap. She knew Leviathan as good as Leviathan knew her.

"You are one to talk", started Ciel, an unusually wicked smile on her face. "How many of your soldiers have you screwed **this** week, Fairy?", she growled.

This, coming from Ciel's lips, was most unexpected, adding insult to injury. Leviathan lost any kind of discipline for a few seconds. "Why you little...", she started, but she was a few seconds too late.

Ciel disappeared from view and reappeared behind the blue general. At the same instant, the sword flew away, causing her to struggle for balance.

"Distracted!", declared Ciel, driving her gauntlet in Leviathan's back, the sword following soon afterwards.

- - -

The fourth guardian of Neo-Arcadia jerked awake, removing her visor and throwing it on the floor in frustration.

"Alpha database has been breached, milady", reported one of the present operators gingerly.

Leviathan briefly entertained a thought involving the stupid operator, her spear and some rows of spikes, but just nodded and rudely dismissed everybody from the room.

"Damn, Ciel", she whispered, actually smiling while moving a hand to her forehead to suppress the already developing headache. "I've missed you, but we shouldn't have met like that. It's just not fair for either of us", she added sighing. After a while, she chuckled. "And you have grown much, too. My only problem at the moment is compiling a report of our encounter without giving the boys a heart attack..."

* * *

Zero sailed in the air, passing just above the hulking sphere that was Maha's body, completely avoiding the spikes. What he failed to avoid was one of the bombs that the elephant dispensed while on his spin. The explosive device hit the hunter in the air, detonating on contact and causing severe damage. Zero fell on the floor, splashing in the swallow waters, his armor cracked and burned and multiple cuts bleeding. Ignoring the pain, he rose on his feet only to be send flying again. After he had evaded Maha's attack, the elephant had collided on the wall. Using his altered momentum, the Neo-Arcadian had bounced back in the air, resuming his reploid form and landing in front of Zero, delivering a single, powerful punch in the process.

- - -

At the same moment, something stirred inside Maha. The recovery of the lost data was completed and the large archaic library that held the information went dark and silent. Seconds later, a small light appeared. A tiny figure shaped as X emerged from within the shelves and giggled in pure happiness. Its function was at last needed. The chibi-X virus levitated in front of the first book of the library, which left its shelf and opened in the air. The figure jumped inside and disappeared for only a second, then the book lost all color and three identical figures jumped out. Each of them corrupted the data of another tome and each produced two more clones. As millions of high-pitched giggles filled the enormous chamber, the database started to decay rabidly...

- - -

The great elephant approached Zero's prone and still form, intending to finish the bothersome reploid off, but halted momentarily as his systems signaled alarm. He immediately run all tests in his disposal, but X had cloaked his attack well and nothing was visible. However, that gave Siri the time she needed to assist Zero. The multicolored cyber-elf appeared seemingly out of nowhere and homed on Maha's face ramming him like a hornet. Though the cyber-elf could do little to stop the elephant, she still managed to distract him, while vainly attempting to bypass his shielded armor.

"Insolent elf", bellowed the behemoth, trying to swat away Siri. "You can't save him, he is dead or almost so. Finishing him is just typical procedure!"

"Indeed? Just what part of it do you consider 'typical'?"

Both Siri and Maha turned to regard the voice's source. Zero was standing erect with little difficulty, his blade drawn, though he had sustained multiple injuries. His chest armor was cracked, some tiny pieces missing. One of the red headpieces on his helm was shattered and his black undershirt was matted with blood in many places. Still, a smile adorned his face, not a regular, joyful or determined smile but one of another, more sinister quality.

_And his eyes. Is that a purple spark in his eyes? Why haven't I noticed that before?_, thought the Neo-Arcadian, a bit unnerved.

Even as Maha assumed a defensive stance, not knowing what to expect from an opponent he could not understand, the crimson hunter flashed once briefly, his helmet jewel changing from blue to luminous yellow. Moments later, his saber's too changed into the same color, waves of energy dancing on its surface.

"You might want to stay away from him, Siri", said Zero calmly, though his voice was a bit weird. The cyber-elf complied immediately and not a second too soon, as Zero climbed, staying perched on the wall close to the floor, and touched the muddy water with his saber.

The liquid cackled with electric energy as thousands of volts left the yellow saber and the elephant shrieked in pain and anguish as the electric charges ravaged his body. Maha would not surrender so easily, though. He rabidly extended his trunk towards the ceiling, again turning into a pendulum and avoiding the electrified water beneath him, then swung towards Zero, meaning to crash him on the wall. This time though, the scarlet warrior would not try to dodge. Instead, blindly trusting his blade, he slammed its butt in the wall and hung from the hilt, the electrified edge protruding from the wall like a spike.

As the teal torso collided with the sword, both the armor, the saber and the wall received enormous amounts of pressure. The wall gave in only a little, the saber's shaft digging deeper. The saber stood unyielding as ever, easily enduring the stress. But Maha's armor, while resilient, was the weakest link of the chain. The light saber pierced the armor and went in up to the hilt, causing Zero's adversary to howl. And the wicked edge continued pouring electricity inside the deep jab. The large reploid staggered backwards many meters, forcing the red bomber to let go of the weapon, then grabbed the hilt embedded on his side and painfully pulled it out, reflexively throwing it away. Which was a bad idea, because as soon as the Z-saber touched the swamp water, it rewarded Maha with a new shock before reverting to its standard green color and simply boiling the water around it instead of electrifying it.

The elephant fell to his knees and hands, trying to recuperate from the enormous amount of damage he had received in so short a time. Zero recovered his blade, which turned yellow again, ignoring the hot water around it, and slowly approached his exhausted opponent.

"This time,** I** will consider your surrender, Maha", declared the red hunter. "Haven't you reconsidered your calculations yet?", he asked, half mockingly.

"Zero", started the elephant, his voice full of resignation. The red warrior approached the apparently beaten adversary with little caution until he saw his smile. "You have just walked into my minefield", continued the Neo-Arcadian, though his words were veiled by an onslaught of multiple explosions from bombs hidden under the water all around Zero.

* * *

Neo-Arcadian soldiers are usually famed for their vigilance. Truth be told, the utopia X established had been facing many dangers in its hundred years of existence. Since the wake of Copy X and the forming of the Resistance, the need for vigilance had to be kicked up a notch, mainly because most of Resistance's activities depend on stealth rather than direct assault. The aforementioned fact is not absolute, though. While the cream of the crop is usually recruited for outer patrols, commanding duty or sensitive areas, the least gifted and disciplined soldiers are usually assigned in positions where it's unlikely to ever face real combat. To make things worse, the safety these posts offer, causes every remaining semblance of vigilance to disappear. While there are still shining examples that just wait to be acknowledged and transferred to more active posts, the Neo-Arcadian commanders would throw a fit of hysteria if they knew the actual level of vigilance some particularly peaceful areas retain. Acute example of such low level would be the interior of one of the guard bunkers close to warehouse #13. The five reploids manning the building had apparently neglected their duty, being absorbed into a famous Neo-Arcadian card game resembling poker instead...

"Look at 'em, this'll be too easy", whispered Bolthor to Colbor as they peeked inside the bunker from one of its reinforced windows.

"Indeed, but we must not get careless. Isis should have reached the tower's server by now", replied the commander.

As on cue, a large comm. device came to life inside the bunker. "_This is tower to bunker 2. Do you read me bunker 2?"_

The five occupied guards turned to look at the contraption quite bored. "It's the uptight fella. Great, exactly what we need to ruin our game."

"_Tower to bunker 2, respond!"_

"Aw, somebody just answer that or that paranoid fart is capable of starting a general alarm. You get it, Bob."

The guard in question scowled. "Why should I?"

"Because you still own me a thousand Zenny, that's way."

Bob rose from his seat grumbling and reached for the comm.

"_I repeat, tower to bunker 2, do you copy?_"

"This is Bob from bunker 2. What's this time, Michael? A bug crawling in your rifle?"

"_Shove that, Bob. We might have a situation here. The server went loony and the sensors malfunction. I want you armed and armored to patrol around your bunker."_

Bob sighed. "Yeah, yeah, we are getting to it. Just cool down a bit. Don't start sniping random people."

"_Just start those patrols bunker 2."_

"I said O-K. Roger and out."

After shutting down the comm., Bob sat back on his seat. "Shall we raise the stakes, people? I feel lucky today!"

Colbor and Bolthor barely managed to stifle their laughter.

A minute later, the bunker's door opened wide, causing the guards to lazily turn towards that direction. However, nobody seemed to cross the fortified doorframe.

"Ok, whoever you are, lay off the pranks", shouted Bob to thin air. "We have a serious game here and you are interrupting." When nobody responded, he walked to the door swearing and closed it again, failing to realize that no less than ten enemy reploids with cloak generators had just sneaked in. If fact, he only realized something was very wrong when a crimson beam kunai slashed at his neck and the steel floor rushed up to meet him. The rest of the guards responded too slow to pose a threat. Two of them were shot down by buster fire before they could grasp the situation. The other two, surprisingly more alert, tried to reach for their weapons discarded randomly in the room. Colbor's beam axe stopped the first, while the second received a powerful giant fist from Bolthor that let him incapacitated, perhaps even dead.

"As I said", laughed Bolthor, "this is too easy."

Colbor shook his head. "Don't let it get to you. As you heard, there is at least one smart guard in the tower and a sniper of all things."

Bolthor nodded, then turned to regard Bianka that was staring at the red kunai in her hand. "Hey, are ya ok?", he asked gently, quite concerned.

The female ninja smiled faintly. "I'm not too fond of bloodshed, Bolthor", she said, indicating the reploid she had just decapitated, "but I'm ready to do what I have to for future's sake", she replied simply.

Thegray-armored reploid nodded. "I know what ya mean, Bianka, but don't push yourself too much."

In the meantime, Colbor along with two other reploids pinpointed the place from where the energy cables passed and were hard at work to remove the floor tiles that covered them. Some minutes later, they unveiled seven thick wires, all bundled together.

"This is it, people", announced Colbor. "This is the most important moment. We must be sure to cut the correct cables so that Isis and Dr. Ciel can do the rest. Then Isis will attempt to open the tower's gate. If she can do it, we storm it. If not, we try to pass undetected. Are you ready?"

As everybody nodded, commander Colbor raised his axe and carefully severed three of the seven power cables.

* * *

"Zero!", screamed Siri urgently as smoke and fire enveloped the place where the crimson reploid in question had been standing.

"He is dead. He is finally dead!", bellowed Maha in glee, as if his mind was damaged and in delirium. His exhilarating turned in pure disbelief as a figure shakily stepped out of the mayhem.

"Zero! Thank god and Light. You are alive!", shouted the cyber-elf with joy that soon turned into shock when she saw the damage the red bomber had sustained, then to frightful wonder as Zero's only response was a snarl.

The elephant reploid heard it, too, but was more concerned of what he saw. Zero's eyes no longer featured sparks of purple, they were fully shinning purple instead, all sentience apparently lost to pure rage. The Neo-Arcadian thought the battle will be easier if his opponent is consumed by such strong an emotion, though he had to renounce his claim a second later, when his opponent raised his blade, which was glowing more than ever and started dashing towards him. Regaining his wits, Maha unleashed four pairs of boomerang tusks, the higher number he could control. The crimson death that was now Zero hardly stopped, maniacally but accurately swatting the projectiles with his saber, deflecting them away, but instead of parrying all of them, he extended his arm and snatched the last razor missile with his bare hand, stopping it in midair. Ignoring the new wound in his palm, he jerked his hand mightily, dashing towards Maha all the while, and sent the sharp tooth against its owner. Faster than anybody could follow, the weapon stroke the Neo-Arcadian right on where his chest armor was damaged, causing a sizable armor chunk to be discarded and revealing the circuitry beneath.

The teal reploid was now terrified by the change, his continuous attempts to analyze his opponent's new power level failing. "I... I surrender Zero", he gasped. "I'll give you the data, just let me live!"

He might as well have tried to reason with a force of nature. Zero either ignored or couldn't hear the words and the elephant blinked, for for a moment he thought he saw a bright aura surrounding the scarlet hunter.

"Please, Zero!", he screamed frantically, launching his trunk towards the berserk reploid. A second later, he staggered back almost blinded by pain, his appendage severed with a single, clean stroke.

The crimson warrior would neither relent not pause, always sprinting forward faster and faster.

As a last resort, Maha tried to protect himself with his hundred hand slap, attempting to keep Zero as far as possible. Zero did halt in front of the wall of moving palms, but the elephant had to stop soon, a new pain ravaging his hand. He regarded his hand and almost fainted. All four of his fingers were severed, the limb being nothing more than a blooded stump.

"Mercy!", keened the great Maha Ganeshariff of Neo-Arcadia before the scarlet death finally reached him, slashing with unreal strength using both his hands and severing the larger reploid in half.

Apparently satisfied, Zero collapsed on the floor unconscious as the elephant exploded, not noticing a tusk leaving the destroyed body at the last moment and disappearing.

- - -

The X-viruses inside Maha had finally corrupted every single file except for one. As they moved to finish the task, the great library became filled with light, causing the X figures to scurry for cover. The whole cyberworld shuddered as a perfect copy was created and downloaded inside one of the elephant's tusks. Of course, the X viruses were copied along with everything else. The copies in the tusk database that flew towards Neo-Arcadia completed their job, corrupting the last file, but the ones in the original library failed, because power went off all of a sudden, just as Maha exploded.

* * *

Michael, the Neo-Arcadian soldier, thought himself as very unlucky. _Here I am, stuck with this crew in this Lightforsaken post, trying to get some recognition while the morons party all the time. I bet they wouldn't notice an army of enemies sneaking under their noses if they waved a Resistance banner..._

With such grim thoughts, the vigilant sniper faithfully followed his patrol route that included most of the security tower. The technicians had assured him that the server's malfunction was only natural, but he kept worrying as if something felt wrong. At that exact moment, everything went black, then the lights came back online almost instantly. Michael rushed to the main server anyway, his weapons ready.

"Calm down, Mic", said a voice before he could state an answer. "It's only a power hiccup. The server is still messed up."

"Are you sure, Max?", asked the sniper uneasily.

The technician in question sighed. "Look, I understand you don't want to be caught off guard", he said, chuckling at his pun, "but there is no situation here. It's just technical difficulties. This base is old and you know it."

Michael sighed, then resumed his patrol. A minute later, he reached the tower's basement and turned to backtrack, but stopped short. He carefully regarded his surroundings, looking for something that could be wrong and his eyes stopped on the heaviest door in the tower. The usual soft humming coming from the shield generator room was absent!

Two seconds later, he was sprinting up the stairs, shouting for Max to check the generator and ascending on the top of the tower were a sniper nest lied. He found his two fellow snipers there... both of them blissfully asleep. They groaned as he jerked them awake, but remained silent under his profane scowl. When they were fully awake, he motioned them to scan the perimeter around the tower. They did so mumbling and swore when they found nothing, but Michele was adamant. Then it hit him. Quickly snatching the only infrared sensor available, he again scanned around the tower, finally letting an audible gasp. Ten intruders were on the move under their noses. He picked his cumbersome sniper rifle and with a determined visage he aimed at Colbor's party.

- - -

* * *

Well, IMHO this chapter is better than the last. The next update will take a while, since I have to leave soon to return a month and a half from now, aka September. I hope you won't forget me until that time... It's a great opportunity for some people to catch up, though these people won't be reading this...

This also means I won't be able to review any fics. Don't worry all you writers, you'll get them all at once.

If all goes well, we will see some Axlness in the next chapter and of course more Zero... Also Elpizo might appear again.

**To mad-man: **They were short because I had to write many... My spell checker takes care of wrongly spelled words, but can do nothing about words that actually exist but are used wrongly. I will take care of most of them if and when I revamp the fic from the start. Perhaps... Have you quitted writing ABFTP? You haven't updated for a while...

**To PhiloWorm:** It will take me a while to reach that battle (sweatdrop)... Big plotholes means large space for new ideas. If the story was perfect, I wouldn't write that now, would I?;-) All seven locations were facades. The only thing your units found there were... Dragon-slaying mosquitoes! XD Needless to say, the dragon riders had to walk back 6.6

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** ffnet is evil. You couldn't review, some of the reviews I posted became half erased... Go figure... Yep, on purpose. X's spontaneous appearance there was for a reason I won't spoil. I'm surprised nobody has noticed yet...

**To Shadow Enigma**: lo, somebody who liked the hopeless okras joke...I believe you'll like the Ciel-Levi interaction in this one;-) Don't hurry it up, I'll be away:-(

**To Dorklotus:** That's exactly what I'm trying to do, restore Zero. Of course he will never become exactly how he was in the X series, but.. CENCORED SPOILER;-) The games ignore the rest of the Resistance utterly. Elpizo hopped out from some plothole and became leader, coming along with a huge crew of other, mysterious people...And I thank everybody who reviews because these reviews keep me going;-D

**To Zidet: **I hope everybody had at least one scene they liked. Dark humor can be good;-) So many Ocs dying and all having as much 'screen' time as Milan in the games... I'm ashamed, but yay! As for that favor, from September...

**To everybody who reviews: **This story is being written because of your support.

**To everybody who only reads: **Though I don't know you, thank you for your time.

**To myself: **Stop ranting and try to survive the next month.

And don't forget to review!


	18. Haunting past, looming future

And YES I'm back. Have you missed me? Who am I kidding, you just missed my story, which is just as good;-) Anyway, I was delighted to find so many new reviews and especially new people. Welcome, all of you. In this chapter, we will see a bit more of Axl as well as many of my countless original characters... And of course Zero...

* * *

Chapter 18: Haunting past, looming future

The luminous sun shone mercilessly above the wasteland desert, having apparently dehydrated any and all signs of life, leaving behind barren sands and scorched crags instead. Few would willingly venture in such an isolated and desolated part of the desert, not too far from civilization but far enough to pose danger and unremarkable enough to cause any scant passer-byes to ignore it. However, despite the unwelcoming circumstances, three figures trekked towards a specific set of coordinates, wrestling with the environment. One of them towered above the other two, his imposing, emerald-armored bulk visible from afar. His companions were much shorter, one donned in dark violet armor with black as secondary color, a visor shielding his eyes, a white staff on his back, the other featuring a navy-black attire, full with red and golden patterns, his spiked orange hair unruly as ever.

"Are we there, yet?", whined Tone to no one in particular while lifting his visor to wipe the reploid equivalent of sweat from his brow. "I happen to like sand only when it's close to the sea."

While Axl, sharing similar sentiments and also yearning for some action, sighed audibly but remained silent, Pulse would not. "One would believe that after so many years, you would have developed some semblance of patience, Tone. You know very well that Dr. Light can't teleport us too close to our target this time. This is a scouting mission and our base's whereabouts must remain secret."

The shorter reploid shot his brother an ironic glare as they kept walking. "As for patience, I'm leaving it to you as always, Pulse. Thanks for nothing, by the way. We have been walking since morning, it's noon and we have seen nothing more interesting than dunes and boulders. Plus, this heat is getting to my digital nerves. Really, one would think..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he heard Axl, who was walking ahead, gasp and then blinked as his eyes became useless for a fragment of a second. What he saw afterwards, caused him to gasp too and let him staring for the better part of a minute. In the middle of the boiling wasteland and concealed by a flawless cloaking field, stood an immense, imposing structure seemingly made of orange rock. It was shaped as a high, round spire, its tip narrow and reaching for the sky. Further analysis revealed the constructive material to be much more enduring and obscure than plain stone, certainly nothing within the three reploids' considerable experience. But the most striking and dominant feature of the obelisk was a huge ornate human scull made of the same material, placed just below the height where the tower narrowed to a tip, hollow black eye slits seemingly staring at them.

"That answers your question?", asked Pulse poignantly after recovering from the spectacle.

"We are still in the godforsaken desert", countered the other reploid, visibly awed despite his attitude.

Axl's smile took to his ears as he turned to address the quarreling brothers. "Come now, ladies. We have a mission to do", he said in utmost formal voice, indicating a large gate, waiting for them like a pitch-black, gaping maw. "The last one is a rusty bucket of bolts!", he added joyfully, dashing forward, eyes gleaming in the face of action.

The two brothers looked at each other, then Tone rushed forward, followed by a sighing and more reserved Pulse.

* * *

**"System locks overridden. Sealing of facility's sector commencing. Local self-destruct system activated. T-minus ten minutes to detonation."**

He felt his consciousness levitating in the void and ignored all external sensory input that seemed faint and withering in the light of his reeling thoughts. For a while, a single word remained static in his mind, as if set in stone, the very word his opponent had just uttered before his demise:

_'Mercy...'_

**"T-minus nine minutes to detonation."**

Even more important than the sound of the word, the meaning was one to invoke an indecipherable jumble of emotions and memories. As Maha Ganeshariff hit the ground cleaved in two, the ensuing explosion illuminating the grand, underground chamber, another, less evident to an onlooker but even more ferocious one, erupted inside Zero's mind.

**"T-minus eight minutes to detonation."**

_A pitiful figure of a reploid cowered away from him, one of his hands missing, severed at the wrist, the stump still bleeding and cackling with energy, the landscape around them littered with corpses and damp with red liquid._

"_Please, spare me. I surrender. I will follow you and have a trial for my crimes. Just don't kill me.", squealed the reploid desperately, trembling with fear._

Zero heard a harsh and unmerciful response in a dark voice-his voice. _"I think you got that wrong, pal. X is the one that offers trials and mercy. I can only offer revenge and oblivion."_

_A simple saber slash closed the scene swiftly and efficiently..._

**"****T-minus seven minutes to detonation."**

_The larger reploid had an eerie familiar face and, though his name eluded him, it invoked torrents of impressions and memories somewhere in the back of his mind. A large square jaw. A bald head. Two large blue beady eyes. A red orb stuck in his forehead. However, this otherwise harsh, fearsome and intimidating face was now full of fear, hatred and anguish. One of his arms was missing close to his shoulder, apparently severed due to plain brutal force, circuitry cackling and vital liquids leaking to the dusty unremarkable and dark floor. The rest of his body was covered by many more lesser wounds, synthetic skin torn away to reveal his innards, artificial muscles strained, close to snapping against immense power, sparks dancing all over his body indicating energy leaks and system failures._

_Zero heard an inhuman, clearly demented to point of no return laughter, an audio signal seemingly riding on dark mist around him and realized the source of the sound was none other than himself. He saw through his very eyes as his two bare hands, unnatural strength summarily dismissing his victim's pathetic attempts of resistance, slowly, mercilessly moved backwards, ready to simultaneously snap free his opponent's head and second arm. _

_He felt the sheer exhilaration of the hunt, of the impending kill groaning at his feet and the need to spill his blood and tear him apart. Suddenly, the demonic lust gave way to a searing pain penetrating his cranium like a sharp titanium alloy spear, a hardly distinguishable smashing sound and then the oblivion of darkness..._

"**T-minus six minutes to detonation."**

_Zero was sitting in a large, well-lit chamber before a huge, round table, full with a hologram screen in its middle. Many humans and some reploids were also present, everybody's attention glued on his person._

"_And this is the only viable solution to our problem. A permanent solution and the one with the less casualties in the long run. Of course, the cost we have to pay is immense, but everything else we have tried failed us. Even if we win this war, he will be back soon afterwards if we hesitate."_

_The crimson hunter studied the expessions on the faces around the table. Some of them were mortified by the bold suggestion, starring at him in disbelief. Others had their eyes downcast, resenting their duty but having no alternative to offer. Most of them, though, regarded him with cold determination, approving of his plan._

"_This is preposterous!" The denial came from a figure next to Zero, a reploid clad in plain blue armor, his emerald eyes filled with horror. "The death toll is unacceptable! If we do something like that, we are no better than the one we try to fight. And the long term consequences of such a nuclear strike..."_

_Another figure spoke, a middle-aged human with white hair, one of his eyes clearly a mechanical implant, an imposing charismatic figure dressed in black and red official robes, intelligence reflected in his good eye._

"_It is a radical solution, but I approve. Our enemy is made out of energy rather than matter, so our approach should be in accordance with that fact. Arcadia, which I represent as an ambassador, will support commander Zero's proposition", he said, and Zero could swear he detected mirth behind his seemingly resigned facade._

_Another human, apparently the head of the council, rose from his seat, demanding attention. "It is horrid, but perhaps our only chance. We shall put this plan to vote", he declared._

_The blue reploid spoke again, this time urgently. "You can't be serious! We are compromising our future! What about the innocent humans and reploids? What about mercy?"_

_Zero's voice was devoid of emotion. "After so many wars and failures, X, after so many victims and destruction, there can be no mercy, no holding back. If we must become like him to defeat him once and for all, to delete him utterly, so be it."_

"**T-minus five minutes to detonation."**

_Zero stepped out of the building, frustration throbbing in his mind. He heard someone behind him but picked up his pace to avoid the person._

"_Zero! Please wait!"_

_He turned his head slightly to the side without stopping, catching a glimpse of a pretty female reploid with long, almond-colored hair, dressed in a semi-militant light armor, shaped as a dress, a red beret on her head._

"_Please, don't go! Don't fight him! Why must you fight him?"_

_Zero continued forward, ignoring the pleas though pangs of guilt were already echoing in his head._

"_If I ever meant anything to you, stop Zero! Please! How can I continue living should one of you dies?"_

_This time Zero did stop but would not turn to face her, keeping his eyes downcast. His words left his lips as no more than a whisper. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that. Someone must stop your brother, must stop this madness."_

_The red hunter resumed walking, deafening his mind to the sobs that erupted behind him as the second reploid collapsed on her knees..._

"**T-minus four minutes to detonation."**

In the midst of the seemingly endless and incomplete memories that simultaneously assaulted his psyche Zero barely registered a faraway but urgent, high-pitched voice that demanded his attention, desperately goading for him to wake up.

Subconsciously recognizing the voice, he focused on it, pushing back the shards of memory he had just recovered. As he slowly came out of his stupor, regaining consciousness, pain assaulted him again, heralded by numerous damage reports, his body waking up along with his mind. He felt the blackish, murky water of the chamber on his face and realized he was lying face-down on the damp floor. He slowly rose to his hands and knees, striving to reacquaintant himself with reality and driving back an insane headache that buzzed in his cranium.

"Zero! Thank God and Light! We have to get out of here fast!"

The red warrior turned to regard the rainbowy cyber-elf that was maddeningly and restlessly buzzing around in near panic.

"What happened?", asked Zero drowsily, still disorientated by the sudden information influx.

Before Siri could conjure an answer, the surprisingly still-functional speakers of the chamber came to life, making an announcement in a flat, female voice that gave Zero all the answers and initiative he would ever need.

"**T-minus three minutes to detonation."

* * *

**

Under the plain, revealing daylight, the military camp yard seemed empty, no movements visible anywhere near the three defense bunkers or the tall, looming security tower. Under closer scrutiny, tiny clouds of dust would be visible, though an onlooker would fast assume some weak air draft to be the source. With Colbor leading the way, the small squad proceeded towards the central tower in fast pace, their confidence in their mobile cloak generators absolute. Perhaps too absolute...

Bolthor was right behind his commander and, though he could see none of his companions with his plain eyes, his internal radar had been specially augmented to detect the faint signals of anyone close to him. The large warrior turned to his left side and smiled to where he knew Bianka was and could almost feel her timidly smiling back, though there was no real way to know. His thoughts raced back to the day they met, sharing the same holding cell, waiting to be led to what Neo-Arcadia's leader had labeled 'correction', just another word for execution. He recalled how scared they both were under Aztec Falcon's hydraulic vise, how Zero's arrival sparked a new, however faint, hope in them and how they were now free and fighting for their future.

_When this mess is over, Bianka and I might find some nice quiet place close to the sea and spend some quality time together. A bit of peaceful living will do us both a world of good._

Years of danger and combat caused Bolthor to spontaneously exit his thoughts, subconsciously noticing some unsettling detail and mentally slapping himself for becoming distracted. Before he could take any course of action, a small explosion echoed behind him and warm liquid collided with the back of his helmet. He turned just in time to see the headless corpse of one of his companions becoming visible and falling to the ground, the poor soldier losing control of his cover along with his life.

"Sniper! Run for the tower!", boomed Colbor's voice, harsh and commanding, unlike the nonchalant and joyful tones he was accustomed to. The large gray warrior quickly complied with the order, wincing as a highly concentrated energy bolt seared the back of his head then harmlessly scorching the ground next to him.

- - -

Though Mike had just scored a hit, he felt no satisfaction for the deed, only grim emptiness. Though he knew he would someday have to fight and kill for real, this was the first time he terminated anything more sentient than rogue mechaniloids. Despite the unsettling thoughts, the Neo-Arcadian was true to his duty. He cleared his mind and drew resolve from the fact that he was fighting Mavericks, evil reploids with no feelings or humanity left. Having few reasons not to believe Copy X's propaganda and blaming the Resistance as the cause of the Neo-Arcadian iron-fisted policy that currently regarded reploids as second-rate citizens, he continued fighting from his high perch, goading his two disorientated and still stunned companions to do the same.

- - -

Colbor ran ahead, following standard procedure by making sure each of his steps had different length and avoiding following a beeline to confuse the enemy sharpshooters. As a commander, he had had to personally train all of his men and every death among his ranks weighted heavily on his conscience, making him wonder whether his teachings were obsolete. It wasn't many years ago that he was just an, admittedly gifted, rookie under late commander Milan. He now hoped his troopers would retain the presence of mind not to panic and unthinkingly rush forward, making themselves game for the opponent. Concern taking the better of him, he turned around despite his better judgement, ensuring there had been no further casualties beyond the initial one.

An energy bolt scored a glancing hit on his leg, stunning him and making him to slip and fall flat on the ground. More importantly, it deactivated his fragile invisibility generator, leaving him wide open to further attacks. As he struggled to rise again, he saw his impending doom in the face of another bolt, this time trained on his head. As if to prove his resolve, Colbor, the commander that was forced to fill the major leadership gap left by Milan's sacrifice, did not avert his gaze, fully expecting to follow his friend and mentor.

At the last moment, he noticed two other figures becoming visible out of thin air. Bolthor jumped inside his field of vision, clearly intending to intercept the incoming shot. His huge black gauntlet was briefly encased in a visible energy field and, as his fist collided with the bolt and swatted it, it was deflected away.

"Are you alright, commander?", inquired the large reploid even as he ducked close to Colbor to support him up.

"I thought I ordered you to run for cover", gasped the other reploid breathlessly, accepting the helping hand.

"I was never good at following orders", replied Bolthor smugly, helping him up. "That's why the Neo-Arcadian army ditched me out", he added grimly.

Another shot headed for the general direction of the two sluggishly moving reploids and another form rose before them. From a tiny hilt in Bianka's grasp, a red energy kunai blade erupted as she slashed at the projectile, causing it to dissipate soon afterwards.

"Hurry up, please", shouted the white-armored girl, concern straining her fair facial features, eyes spying for additional hazards.

At long last and under Bianka's cover, the three reploids reached the rest of their team at the base of the tower, the blind spot of the sniper nest's vision, and halted to catch their breaths. Colbor, having regained his wits and his feet, regarded his surrounding, raking his mind for a solution.

"We can't remain here", said a resistance soldier, voicing everybody's concern. "We might be safe for a while, but it's enemy territory and they know we are here."

"We might have disabled this side's bunker, but the other two might send somebody to figure what's going on with their communications", added another.

Colbor nodded gravely. "We have two options. Either attempt to storm the tower and continue the mission, or abort", he said, but then his face froze in a mask of disbelief as he regarded his escape unit. The device held just enough energy to teleport a person once to safe coordinates and every soldier had one. However, a flashing red led on it indicated the teleportation jamming field was once again in place.

Bolthor was the one to break the silence. "Only Isis can save us now", he said, indicating the heavily fortified, sealed gate leading inside the tower, seemingly mocking their despair.

* * *

They made their way crawling through the ventilation shaft system as quietly as possible, considering their level of haste. They had their hands and knees padded with special, soft material that prevented the otherwise inevitable sounds of metal grazing against metal to occur. After reaching an intersection, the large shaft splitting in two narrower ones in a 'T' fashion, they stopped to consult the map of the facility that was engraved in their digital memory. Elisa and Zak turned to face each other, though no words were heard. Instead, they exchanged simple text messages, careful to make the signal weak enough as to not penetrate the metal walls around them.

"_We have a problem, Zak", _stated the commander of Resistance's fourth branch_. "The map Joan provided is incomplete beyond this point."_

Her companion sighed silently. _"Do we at least know the generator's general location", _he inquired.

Elisa shook her head. "_It's not on the maps we can hack. Standard security procedure. We would still be able to pinpoint it from the outline if we had a map, but.._."

Zak looked thoughtful for a while, then a feint grin appeared on his face. "_Let's take the right shaft", _he proposed.

Elisa regarded him curiously. "_Any reason at all? We won't have time for backtracking, you know. Peter and the others can't keep hiding for long and we have only twenty minutes left."_

Zak's grin broadened. "_A gut feeling"_, he replied. "_And also the air is hotter that way. A jamming generator produces much heat"_, he added quickly before his frowning companion could have a chance to tell him where he should put his 'gut feeling'.

Despite the urgency of their situation, Elisa couldn't hold back a smile. "_You are terrible as always", _she replied, leaning and gracing her companion with a fast kiss.

"_Of course, Elisa...um, I mean commander", _he said, this time gaining a soft backhand slap.

As they continued crawling fast through the now narrower shaft, Elisa couldn't help but feel lucky for having somebody that could cheer her up even under such circumstances. While she was the official leader of her Resistance branch with only loose real authority ties to the core Resistance and while she was pretty capable both as a fighter and as a tactician, she doubted she would have endured under the stress of her position without Zak's support. Although he usually joked around with almost everything, she could hardly think of anybody more reliable during a crisis. And the insistence of the reploids unlucky enough to have quarters next to their shared room to have their walls sound-proofed was a running joke among her ranks...

After a while, she snapped out of her thoughts, the grave reality weighting on her once again. She had insisted to lead this particularly risky operation, thinking that if she could order her accomplices to take part, she should be ready to do the same. Still, she now had second doubts about her decision. Not so much out of fear for her personal safety, but because her branch would remain headless should both she and Zak perished. She silently asked herself whether taking along Zak had been a selfish act more than a tactical decision. Zak might be an experienced fighter of his on right, but he was also almost as invaluable leadership-wise as herself.

"_We found it!" _

Elisa realized the air draft inside the shaft was now uncomfortably hot, then looked forward as Zak indicated a grate on the shaft's floor and the chamber below them. A low humming filled the air as the machinery below functioned relentlessly, creating an invisible net of energy around the entire facility that hindered teleportation. These fields usually belonged in one of two categories. The first type would allow a teleportation signal to pass only when accompanied by the field's specific password. The safety of such an approach depended solely on the creator's and intruder's skill level difference. The second type, the one used in this case, was less common and usually saved for high security facilities that were not adequately manned. This one prevented teleportation of any kind, a double-edged sword since it kept everybody trapped in as surely as it kept everybody else out.

Instead of simply rushing inside the room on impulse, the two warriors patiently observed the portion of the room they could see from their high perch. Soon, they were rewarded with the sight of a security guard patrolling inside, no mindless drone but a real reploid. Still, they held back, trying to figure out his pattern and spy any other occupants. Finally and with time pressing them, they decide to attempt an attack.

The reploid guard, to his credit, was actually quite vigilant for somebody spending his time in uneventful patrol. Still, after passing below the same ventilation grate for perhaps the thousandth time, he surely wouldn't expect something to happen. Then the grate came free, the heavy object hitting him squarely on the head. And was soon followed by an energy sword wielding Elisa. The light blade passed between the fallen grate's rails and through the unfortunate guard's body, pinning him to the floor. Even then, the Resistance commander had to kick away the sidearm he tried to pry free from its holster. Almost immediately, she scanned the room around her and her hopes sank. The second guard of the room, a female reploid with long teal hair, was dashing towards a panel on the opposite wall. She had apparently started coming close to her companion as soon as the grate fell, only to turn tail and head for the security alarm as soon as Elisa became visible.

The characteristic sound of a plasma bolt echoed in the room and, moments later, the alarm panel gave its place to molten metal. The female guard stopped on her tracks and turned to regard Zak, a buster in his hand, a cocky smile on his face. Elisa took advantage of her hesitation and dashed forward, meaning to silence her fast. But had to stop short and jump backwards as a slim line of energy rattled on the spot she was standing a moment ago, leaving a scorch mark. The guard had produced what seemed like an energy whip, apparently a prototype weapon and surely not one Elisa and Zak were trained to face.

Zak tried to score a hit from afar, firing his buster in rabid succession, but the whip-wielding opponent was quite capable to deflect all shots, rabidly thrashing her unusual weapon, then swinging it around incredibly fast and creating a shield. She then went to lash at Elisa, dashing ahead and whipping at the same time. The Resistance reploid raised her sword to parry the weapon, but had to jump backwards as the energy line coiled around her blade multiple times, its tip almost taking her head off her shoulders.

The enemy guard smirked wickedly at her opponent, then mightily pulled Elisa's sword, trying to snatch the entangled weapon from its owner, moving to keep her between herself and Zak to prevent further shots while she was vulnerable. Zak swore as he could not risk a shot that might hit his companion, but then he smiled. And turned his buster towards the shield generator's core.

The guard reploid, locked in a standstill with Elisa, realized his intent and apparently tried to use her comm. The blond commander took advantage of her distraction and reacted. Instead of pulling her sword, which would only cause the whip to tighten around it, she deactivated her blade instead. Predictably, the whip retreated abruptly towards its wielder, forcing her to sidestep out of its uncontrolled path while it left a new scorch on the wall. Elisa, taking a great gamble, dashed forward, her blade not able to ignite again for some seconds, and attacked on the unbalanced reploid with her bare hands. Not expecting such a bold move, she quickly lost her weapon and was summarily pinned to the ground, her weapon preference limiting her unarmed prowess.

The first guard, severely wounded, managed to push aside the metal grate and tried to lunge towards his weapon. He would have grabbed it, too, if not for a shot from Zak that silenced him permanently. Sighing at a gruesome job well done, the Resistance vise-commander turned to regard the other two combatants. Elisa was behind the female guard, her left hand keeping both her enemy's hands at bay, her right hand around the guard's neck.

"Stand down!", hissed Elisa to her captive. "Or I'll break your neck."

The guard visibly relaxed and apparently stopped resisting. Zak produced a thin rope made out of refined carbon fibers and tied the hands of their captive. While the material seemed flimsy at best, its endurance ensured the teal-haired guard wouldn't be using her arms any time soon.

"What do you want from me?", snarled the guard. "Filthy Mavericks", she added, almost spitting the words.

"You didn't really believe I would shoot at the reactor, did you?", replied Zak smiling. "That thing would have blown us to smithereens if I did."

The guard eyed him murderously but remained silent. "Instead, we just need the password to deactivate it", continued Elisa, her face stern. "And the reactor guards always know such passwords to deactivate the field in case of emergency", she added.

"Even if I knew something like that, what would stop you from finishing me off afterwards?", she asked, a scowl darkening her features.

"Only our good will", answered Zak earnestly. "But if you don't help us, we will surely kill you. Think of it as having a chance..."

"..as opposed to having none", continued Elisa.

A heavy silence filled the room for a few moments, then the guard sighed in resignation. "I'll help", she answered at length, then proceeded to recite a long password.

Zak went to the nearby control console and expertly typed the security code, but then frowned. "This system is new. It needs an audio command, too."

The guard nodded. "On each shift, the new guards calibrate it to accept only their voice", she explained quietly.

Zak raised his buster again. "If you don't mind", he said and the guard frowned but complied.

"Override system schedule. Enter standby mode", she said in loud and clear voice.

The generator's humming subsided visibly and Elisa regarded her escape unit with satisfaction, a green led indicating teleporting out was now feasibly.

"Your cooperation just earned you back your life", said Zak to the still scowling guard merrily. "So, what are we waiting for? The others must be out already."

Elisa nodded, pushing the captive away and turning on her mobile escape unit at the same time with Zak. The devices required two seconds to initiate transport and during that time, they noticed a wicked smile on the guard's face. Before Elisa or Zak could react, she spoke two words loudly as before.

"Soft restart."

At the same moment, the leds on their escape units turned red, indicating the field was again active. The two Resistance reploids faced each other, their faces masks of horror, then disappeared from sight, as the transing process took place.

* * *

Zero finally shook away the mist from his mind and started towards the chamber's exit, but then stopped short. Ignoring Siri's protests and cursing silently, he reached the remains of the great Neo-Arcadian reploid and ignited his blade. Pushing back the revulsion, he carefully slashed at the inanimate carcass, then expertly pulled out a small black cube as big as his palm, severing it from a great assortment of cables.

Maha's main storage drive.

Without pausing to consider how in blazes he knew how to do something like that properly, he dashed out of the room at full speed followed by his cyber-elf companion.

"**T-minus two minutes to detonation. Local gates will be sealed now."**

Surely enough, Zero frowned as he saw two sets of gates ahead of them shutting tightly. Without a moment to spare, he ignited his blade again, hacking at the first barrier relentlessly. The gate, though, was very resilient and endured his assault for nearly five seconds.

_I counted six more such corridors on our way in. That's twelve such doors and a whole minute. And we have less than two minutes left. Damn.._

As he stepped on the door's remains and prepared to slash at its twin, he incredulously watched it opening just in time. Siri exited the gate's locking mechanism and smiled as they both rushed forward again.

A few moments later, the comm. in his helm came to life, a worried and weary Ciel on the other side. "_What happened Zero? The self-destruct mechanism has activated! You have to get out of there fast!"_

"Working on it...", answered Zero, frowning. "Can you start the transerver remotely? We are running out of time", he added, slashing another sealed door and dashing through the second that the multicolored cyber-elf had just opened.

After a brief moment of silence, Ciel responded. "_It's done. Hurry up! According to our estimations, you only have..."_

"**T-minus one minute to detonation."**

Zero cringed visibly at the voice counting their remaining time. _It's further than I thought. Even with Ciel's and Siri's help we won't... _The red hunter pushed back such thoughts violently. _I won't die here. Not like that._

Using despair to fuel his anger instead, he gripped his saber tighter and gritted his teeth, not noticing an aura akin to the one he displayed when he charged his buster. When he slashed at the next gate, his eyes went wide as a huge shockwave erupted out of his saber, energy reducing both gates to dust in one fell swoop and Siri stepping out of harm's way at the last moment. With not a split second to ponder at his new power, he continued forward, ignoring the protests of his damaged body.

"**Thirty seconds."**

Zero obliterated another set of twin doors.

"**Twenty-five."**

He dashed forward at new levels of speed.

"**Twenty."**

Siri had managed to open both of the last set of gates.

"Ciel, are you ready?", asked Zero urgently as he fearlessly plunged into the huge well, the last obstacle between them and their escape.

"**Fifteen."**

"_Just give me the signal"_, answered Ciel, her voice revealing pure focus.

"**Ten."**

Zero cursed at how deep they had to fell and turned to Siri. "Hold on me", he ordered and the cyber-elf complied, having no time to argue.

"**Five."**

The crimson hunter kicked mightily on the wall a split second before the bottom, turning all his vertical speed into horizontal.

"**Four."**

He virtually flew through the last corridor and entered the late golem's room, still in the air.

"**Three."**

He touched the ground, ending his flight with a roll and stopping just before the Transerver door.

"**Two."**

"Now!", he screamed as he lunged through the door, landing on the teleportation pad.

"**One."**

Ciel reacted almost immediately and the transing started.

"**Zero. Have a nice day."**

The scarlet warrior and Siri disappeared just as a great explosion buried a large part of the facility, including the Transerver, under huge concrete slabs that fell from the ceiling.

* * *

Despite his childish proclamation, Axl stopped before the gate and regarded the two brothers that soon reached him. They now walked inside together, their weapons ready to neutralize any possible hazard. The gate led to a wide corridor that was only illuminated by the meager sunlight that managed to creep in. Before they could take another step, the light disappeared completely, causing them to gasp. Axl ignited the blue orb on his forehead, using it as a temporary light source until they could calibrate their alternative vision systems. And gasped again at the sight. An impossibly heavy door had just materialized behind them, sealing the exit completely. Most importantly, they haven't even heard the slightest sound to indicate such a massive object had just moved. Before they could comment on that, numerous crystals embedded on the ceiling came to life, offering a soft, green and white light.

Axl was the first to speak, indicating the patterns that were now visible on the walls. "Look at this, guys. However drew this must have been a genius. It's so...perfect."

The white walls, lined in brass ornate rails, were filled with seemingly random geometrical designs. However, these designs radiated an aura of completion and flawlessness, their light red color made darker due to the semi-colored light from above. The ceiling, in contrast, was curved and completely white, reflecting the crystal's light downwards and the floor was tiled with large slabs of black and white marble that followed some esoteric pattern they could not rightly determine, but added to the harmony that filled the air.

Pulse finally snapped out of his awed posture and made an important point. "Should we try to force our way out?", he inquired, indicating the sealed portal.

His companions also seem to recover from the corridor's hypnotic effect and blinked a few times to focus their thoughts.

"We can do that later", replied Tone. "We have a mission here and this place is a good change from the filthy mechaniloid factories we use to infiltrate."

Axl nodded in accordance. "Don't tell me you aren't curious about this place, Pulse. Personally, I feel the urge to find out more."

Pulse half smiled, half sighed. "I know, Axl. We all feel the same and that's what I'm afraid of, but both of you won't stop anyway, correct?"

Both Tone and Axl eyed the taller reploid mischievously, smiling all the while, then they continued on the corridor ahead. And stopped again tensing when they saw movement. Something small moved hastily, turning in a side-corridor and disappearing. Without waiting for anything else, the three companions dashed forward following the mysterious object. For a while, it kept eluding them, turning at the last moment as if wanting to guide them. Pulse muttered something about a 'trap' under his breath, but kept following the fast-footed midget. After a while, they entered a large, circular chamber, apparently placed in the middle of the unlikely structure. It followed the same decorating style as the rest of the tower, except its ceiling was four times higher than the corridors and filled with many more light-giving crystals. In the middle of the room stood a wide brass pillar like some ancient altar of a forgotten god, though circuits and panels were visible on it. And before the contraption, stood their guide.

A green capped Metool.

Axl mentally slapped himself for not recognizing the droid before, though this version was apparently faster than every other he had ever seen. Before he could voice his thoughts, the passage they had just passed through seemed to melt and reform, the opening replaced by plain, pattern-covered wall.

_Well, that explains the silent doors_, thought Axl, now unnerved despite himself. As on cue, the machine in the middle of the room came to life, revealing itself to be some kind of hologram projector, though it currently depicted nothing but a plain shaft of light. A voice filled the chamber, seemingly coming out of everywhere, its hue a bit raspy, resembling one of a venerable male human.

"Welcome Axl Red and Tone and Pulse Cain", said the voice calmly. "I haven't had visitors for a long time and I can use some entertainment."

* * *

Zero appeared on the Resistance base's transerver in a crouching position. Cerveau was already there, waiting for him along with two more soldiers should they need to carry him again, but the red hunter smiled faintly at them, indicating he wouldn't collapse this time.

"Welcome back, Zero", said the engineer, also smiling. "It seems you managed to run into trouble again, even in this 'harmless' scouting mission", he added, looking the red warrior in dismay.

Zero looked downwards and frowned. His armor was cracked and burned, small pieces missing, though it has already started repairing itself. He was sure it looked much worse ten minutes ago. His black jumpsuit had also suffered much punishment and was filled with rips and dry reploid blood, though he was currently not bleeding. Cerveau silently gawked at the fabric's endurance. While the last century's elite reploid armor style dictated such an undershirt that could absorb some damage, this particular one was beyond his experience, not only because of its resilience but also because it could apparently regenerate itself as if it was a second skin.

"Are you sure you'll be alright, Zero", asked the mechanic again, as the reploid in question exited the room casually.

"Everything at its time", replied Zero cryptically, making his way towards the base's command center.

As soon as he entered the chamber, everybody else shared a silent gasp, then Ciel hurried away from her post, rising her visor and running towards the red hunter. She realized what she was doing soon, and stopped abruptly just before him.

"Zero, thank goodness, you are alive", she said, her hands clasped together, her visage a peculiar mixture of worry, regret, weariness and elation. "I'm so sorry we had to involve you in this mess. We can do nothing but..."

The red hunter, silenced her with a glare, then gave her the object he recovered from Maha. Ciel regarded the red liquid covered object gingerly, but took it nodding.

"I don't know whether I was successful or not, but see if you can salvage anything", he said wearily. "What about the rest of the missions?", he inquired.

Ciel's looked downwards, her face sad. "Most of them are over by now", she started. "Out of the thirty missions, we had fourteen successes and ten failures. The rest six are still unresolved."

Zero regarded Ciel, knowing pretty well there was more to it. "What about Colbor's team", he asked at length, since the young scientist would not speak further.

"It's still an unresolved one, but... They are trapped, Zero. We deactivated the jamming teleportation field, but it came back online somehow. Last time we contacted them, they were trapped outside the tower."

Zero thought of Bolthor, Bianka, Colbor, Isis and the rest of the men. He had seen the mission's plans and had a general idea about what had happened. "Can't we send reinforcements", he asked calmly, masking his feelings quite expertly.

Ciel shook her head, trying her best not to collapse. "Colbor means much to me, Zero, but I can't do that. I can't risk the lives of so many more reploids out there. It's only a matter of time before a general alarm signals."

A high-pitched voice filled the chamber. "We have to do something! How can you be so cold and just let them die like that!", everybody turned to Siri, which was visibly upset.

Ciel felt the need to scream out of despair because of the hopeless situation and out of anger towards the cyber-elf. _I'm only trying to save as many as possible,_ her mind screamed to herself. Then doubt filled her again. _Have... Have I really grown cold as that cyber-elf accused me. Have I changed so much?_

Cerveau went to console Ciel, eyeing Siri angrily, indicating the cyber-elf should just shut up, but stopped short as Zero spoke.

"I will go."

Every last person in the room turned to regard him in open disbelief as silence, only interrupted by machinery hum, filled the chamber.

Cerveau recovered first. "But, Zero, be reasonable! You are injured", he said even as the red warrior made an about face, heading back to the Transerver room.

Ciel, along with the engineer and Siri hurried behind him. "We can't do that, Zero", she said, trying to make him halt. "The jamming field is in place."

Zero turned to Cerveau without stopping. "I need a parachute", he said determined.

Siri gasped. "What do you have in mind, Zero? You can't be serious about that!"

The crimson warrior closed his eyes. "I will teleport **above** the field and then fall down."

Ciel caught herself before letting out another gasp, then summoned the most commanding voice she had ever attempted. "Zero, I forbid you as the Resistance's supreme commander to continue this madness."

This time Zero did stop for only a moment and turned to regard Ciel while raising a brow. "I don't recall formally being recruited in the Resistance or saying I would heed your commands, Ciel", he said, his voice icy.

Before Ciel could recover from that slap in the face, the red hunter turned again, this time the hint of a warm smile on his face. "I'll try and save them, Ciel", he said calmly, grabbing the parachute from a very reluctant Cerveau and stepping on the Transerver pad along with Siri.

"Zero...", started Ciel as the crimson hunter disappeared from sight. "Please come back alive", she added, but then swooned and almost fell to the floor. Cerveau frantically caught her just in time.

"Ciel! Are you alright?" He asked urgently.

"Just... give me a moment to...", started Ciel smiling, but then lost consciousness.

The rest of the reploids in presence gasped and started to panic, but the crafty engineer quickly regained control. "It's just an overexertion case", he said confidently, although he too was worried. "Poor girl is working from early morning non-stop and she had to make a cyber-projection battle! I know many reploids that would have collapsed and she is human."

Giving them orders to get her to her room, Cerveau returned to the command chamber to fill the young girl's absence, determined to do his best, though he couldn't help feeling inadequate...

* * *

And there you have it, a large chapter to celebrate my return XD. I hope I haven't lost my touch, though... In the next chapter, I believe I'll manage to clean this messy part of the story and come to a 'unit conclusion'. Of course, I could be wrong .;;;

On to review answers:

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** I have been thinking about that cat fight for a long time and, yes, chibiX-virus is plain lethal XD.

**To Shadow Enigma:** I knew you would. I hope you can find something you like in this chapter too.

**To PhiloWorm:** Yes, Veulgarder(or whatever) reminded me of Treble too, but I don't think Bass's wolf ever breathed fire or lightning bolts... Anyway, IF I ever introduce a pet, it will be much later. Instead –spoiler- Zero will get another form of guidance when this messy operation ends... It was no basement. The tower above is for show, while the base is inside the mountain. He is in the upper floor-infected with a mutated virus. Resilient, powerful and... grouchy as Bass.

**To MAD-MAN:** The 'boomerang tusks' is Maha's EX skill. In Zero 1, while you gain nothing if you beat a boss at S or A rank, they all have a special attack if you fight them like that. Aztec's was the wall climbing electricity. I'll check for that story... When I finally find some time. It's busy season...

**To Tussilago: **Welcome! I don't believe I have ever called Zero a YELLOW bomber. Red, scarlet, ruby or crimson, yes, but never yellow. At least until he gets the energy form;-) as for the 'bomber' part, it was the original Megaman's nickname and then it passed to X and his best friend... That X virus was made by X on the spot, while Zero was fighting Aztec, to protect Zero's secrets from Copy X. It was just a regular computer virus, not a sentient one. I took the idea from 'Kiddy Grade', a rather unknown anime I like...

**To Four Winds**: Welcome too! That's exactly the impression I try to pass. Zero can't become exactly as he was, but some elements remain. I completely agree on the Ciel subject. She has obviously fallen for him, but he has currently more pressing problems... Thanks and I hope I can keep it up like that.

**To Lotus2: **I'm always happy with new people reading. I hope that if and when you reach here, you will still like what you read.

**To Rioni Riishu:** I consider it an honor when one of my favorite authors reviews my work. When I look back at these first chapters, I get the urge to revamp the whole thing... .;;;

**To Uzu-Chan: **Wow, six chapters in a row! Don't worry, Elpizo will get his time in the sun soon. He became commander for a reason. Nah, I won't be killing any major characters any time soon. Perhaps maim, but not kill XD.


	19. War, war never changes

Welcome for another chapter, which will hopefully close some cliffhangers I left last time and, of course, open some more;-) Come on, nobody guessed whose tower that was? I gave a single clue, but a large one nonetheless... Anyway, on to...

* * *

Chapter 19: War. War never changes...

While there are some exceptions to this rule, most common, long-range, mobile teleporters need a few seconds to activate. This fact, while inconvenient in times of grave danger, allows the devices to only use a fraction of the energy they would otherwise require. However, this mostly insignificant time span can prove lethal should a counter-teleportation field activates at that exact moment.

Contrary to common belief, the subject of teleportation is not reduced to its component particles to be reassembled at the destination point. Such procedure would both require tremendous amounts of energy and processor power far beyond common standards. Furthermore, quantum physics teaches us that it is impossible to determine the position of a particle if we know its speed and vice-versa, something mandatory to reassemble an object exactly as it was.

Rather than affecting the subject, teleportation creates a controlled rift in space-time that momentarily causes two spatial areas to overlap, thus creating the effect of instant transportation. During actual teleportation, an object might execute billions of such 'space-jumps' as the more jumps made for the same distance, the less energy is consumed. Also, for teleporting through large distances, it's general practice for the teleportation path to create an angle, reflected above the stratosphere, then back on the surface, following the path of less resistance, since denser matter means more energy for each 'jump'.

Counter-teleportation fields take advantage of these tiny jumps, causing random spatial distortions that affect both the distance and the trajectory of the transportation. Somebody attempting to teleport through such a field, has only slim chances of survival. Teleporting inside a solid object usually means death even for reploids, since even a trapped finger can create a major explosion as matter's density is doubled spontaneously. Most importantly, an altered trajectory can cause the person teleported to reappear anywhere, from the earth's core, to outer space. In rare cases, a botched transing can fling the victims to other dimensions or cause them to reach their destination in pieces or short some body parts. That said, very few victims of such an occurrence survive to tell the story, though even then they prefer to remain silent about an event that threatened to shatter their sanity. For even if a person survives physically intact, their mentality is rumored to alter.

- - -

She tried to open her eyes, but could not, as if they did not exist. She tried to hear anything, but no sound passed through her audio receptors. She tried to smell and taste, but matter was apparently absent. She tried to feel anything, even pain that would prove she was still alive, but in vain. As for moving, the concept itself seemed foreign to the place she inhibited, for she was apparently floating. She soon lost any perception of time, her inner timer refusing to cooperate. She might as well have spent a second or an eternity in such state. And then she felt them. Not saw, not touched, not smelled, not heard, not tasted. She just knew they were there, knew it with pristine clarity from the very core of her being. She tried to scream to the top of her artificial lungs, but could only scream in her mind. How much time. Seconds? Minutes? Days? Years? Millennia? She could not tell, for the only thing she knew was they were close. She tried to recall her name, her purpose, herself and failed utterly. Then she forgot she even attempted to recall, forgot what forgetting is. She was only a dot in nothingness and only knew they were close...

- - -

Elisa snapped her eyes open as she felt air rushing by. The only thing she saw at first, was blue. Not a shape, not an object, just a color. She then realized she was looking at the clear sky. And swiftly remembered the last coherent event. The female guard in the generator room condemning her and Zak to almost certain demise with two simple words. As an afterthought, she tilted her head to glance over her shoulder. After seeing the ground rushing upwards to meet her, she finally realized she was falling. The next thing she knew was severe pain all over her body as she crashed on the sandy ground.

After her last horrid experiences, she welcomed oblivion with joy.

* * *

The silence of the chamber was only interrupted by the faint buzzing sound of the central hologram projector. Axl eyed his two companions who shrugged and indicated he would be the one to do the talking. The orange-haired reploid did so gladly, addressing the mysterious presence.

"Who exactly are you?", he asked, tensing at the same time as if expecting an attack.

The answer he received was vague at best. "My name is of no real importance. What I wish to know is who exactly are YOU."

The black tiger frowned at the words. "You already know who I am, old man. You said as much yourself", he replied irritated.

A light chuckle filled the room and after a while, the voice echoed louder than before. "I merely know your name, young Axl and your history. I never had the chance to meet you in person."

Before Axl could comment the 'young' part the voice had used, he had to jump backwards rabidly, as the apparently forgotten metool let loose a tiny energy shot right where he was standing.

"Hey, what's the big idea?", he demanded.

The voice chuckled again. "Intriguing reflexes", he commented, ignoring the question. At the same moment, the green droid released an astonishing barrage of much stronger energy bolts while moving rabidly, fast enough and scattered enough as to be impossible to simply dodge. The three companions reacted instantly. Tone activated his shield from the butt of his staff, shielding both himself and his brother, while Axl morphed one of his pistols into a red energy sickle and effortlessly deflected the shots. Without waiting for another attack, he dashed forward at extreme speed, slashing at the green hard hat, then jumping back, disbelief written all over his face.

"How can this be?", he asked, eyeing the apparently unhurt droid. "This blade should have pierced metool armor effortlessly."

The voice answered immediately, mirth evident in his words. "That would be true, if this little fellow was an ordinary metool. However, appearances can be deceiving, shapeshifter. You should be able to understand that more that anyone else."

When receiving nothing more than a snarl, the hidden presence sombered. "However, it is high time we stopped fooling around", he declared. "I intent to test your abilities to their limits, Axl Red."

Tone choose that moment to talk. "Hey, what are we two? Chopped liver? I think it's high time we started destroying this place", he said, igniting his blue energy sickle.

The voice's response was calm. "Indeed? That reminds me..."

The floor below the two brothers gave a slight tremor and they both had the presence of mind to jump away from the pit they expected to open where they stood. What they didn't expect was the floor turning into a jelly-like substance and rush towards them like a huge, deformed tentacle. They both managed to avoid the hulking appendage, but a second later, both walls and floor became alive, closing towards the two brothers. Axl tried to reach to the scene, but the floor before him rose upwards, forming sturdy, thick metal bars. He tried his sickle on them, but the minor damage he caused disappeared almost immediately as the bars reformed themselves. Seconds later, the two brothers found themselves in two separate holding cells with similar bars that allowed them almost complete view of the great chamber.

"What do you want with them!", demanded Axl, facing the projector.

The voice was again spiced with mirth. "While their shared power is a mystery even for me, I merely want them to stay out of my way for a while", he replied in pure honesty.

"If you hurt them, I'll kill you myself", snarled Axl, although his rage was only partly real, his mind occupied with finding a way out of the mess.

The threat produced quite an unlikely response, which translated into a burst of laughter, whose source was evidently not sane. After a while, came the response. "I guarantee you, kid, I would be greatly intimidated by such a threat, provided I was still alive. Which I'm not, I assure you. So, let's see what you can do, doppelganger ."

The green metool hopped on the projector, which slowly descended downwards, the floor covering the surface it occupied and becoming smooth as a mirror. Axl barely suppressed a shudder, since now the room resembled an arena pit more than anything else. The mysterious presence and the imprisoned brothers were the audience and he was obviously the gladiator. As on cue, a passage appeared on the wall furthest from him and a figure stepped out.

At first, Axl thought it was a very large reploid, but he quickly reasserted his estimation when his opponent became visible. The thing resembled a humanoid skeleton or a reploid without skin. Its height was almost five times Axl's and although it was much wider than him, it still seemed slim. It featured long legs and two sets of arms, each of the four appendages ending in smooth metal spheres. Many of its joints were exposed, further reinforcing the skeleton image, although most of its body was covered by thin and shinning metal plates. But the most unnerving thing about the behemoth was its face, or lack of one. It's design did include a head, albeit a really small one compared to the massive body, but there were no features on its front side, just another metal plate.

"This is prototype model ZXA-88. Its name is Garon and only has basic combat A.I. While it would make an excellent shock trooper in any army, its energy needs and high cost limit its worth. Although I believe it is within your capabilities-barely- to destroy it, you would only need to remain alive for approximately ten minutes, at which point its energy core will die out."

Axl regarded the giant before him, then steeled his gaze. "If that's a challenge, old geezer, I accept", he declared, trying to analyze his opponent.

* * *

As soon as all nine enemies disappeared from his aiming range, Michael, the Neo-Arcadian sniper, let go of his bulky weapon and turned to regard his two companions. Although he was sometimes weary of their placidness, they were the closest he had to friend. And while his rank was the same as theirs, their state of astonishment made them heed his orders to the last letter, he being obviously more composed about the situation at hand.

"We now have them trapped", declared the sniper neutrally. "I want you to stay here and stop them should they get desperate enough to attempt a run for cover."

"What about you, Mike?", asked one of his companions rather meekly.

Michael frowned, but not to the question. "They only have one option left, apart from committing suicide by trying to run under our fire: Get in the tower!"

"But the gate is impenetrable", responded the third sniper, somewhat relieved.

His companion ignored them, trusting they would do as much as watch for strugglers and lifted a hatch placed in the middle of the sniper nest's floor, unveiling a narrow ladder and descending as fast as it was reasonably safe to. He reached the floor below him in seconds, ending in a ring-like corridor. In the middle of the ring, there was a standard elevator, which proved to be useless. Michael swore mightily as he realized no power surged though its circuits. The outer perimeter of the ring was full with doors leading to other soldier's lodgings, since the security tower doubled as barracks for its garrison. Not having enough time to alert each of the possibly off-duty soldiers that might reside inside their quarters, the sniper reached the only door marked with red strips, leading to the emergency stairs, and started descending rabidly through the many floors of the structure.

After a long descend, he finally reached the tower's command center, only a floor higher from ground level and burst in, his breath coming in gasps. Despite his exhaustion, he willed his artificial body to move and regarded the only other person inside a room that should be teeming with activity in accordance to the current situation.

The lone technician turned to regard his companion, raising a brow at his apparent urgency. "What's the matter, Mike?" He asked, obviously curious. "Found anything up there?"

Michael replied, a frown on his face. "It's a Maverick attack, Max. The power failures were their doing. Right now we have them pinned at the tower's feet. Tell me you managed to raise that field again."

The mechanic was now a bit frightened, mainly because he never expected anything like that to actually happen in this particular area, but smiled cockily nonetheless. "I did that some minutes ago. If it was a hacking attempt, it was sure as hell one I would never notice."

The sniper now seemed frantic. "So, what are you waiting for? They can get in any minute now! You must signal general alarm! Contact the rest of the base! And why the hell is the elevator dead?"

Max sighed and tried to hide his nervousness. "Calm down, Mike. They won't be passing this door any time soon. As for what you asked, our 'friends' seem to have done quite a number with our networks. Communications are dead and there is not enough energy to keep everything running. In fact, I can only get enough energy for the field generator and these", he said indicating the lights on the ceiling and the security server. "Not a watt to spare for alarms, elevators or weapon systems", he ended grimly.

Michael's face hardened at the news. "So what will we do now?", he inquired, hardly expecting an answer. "Do we wait until they force their way in?"

Max shook his head. "Molecularly reinforced titanium, Mike. They can't get over that and the door can only open from inside", he said, his voice having an edge of relief.

The sniper sighed. "Everything has a weak point, Max. We will do it like that. We both go upstairs and try to arouse as many as possible. There are supposed to be one hundred and fifty men stationed here!"

"Nope, not a single above sixty. The rest are absent on repair sessions or 'special' vacations", replied the technician casually.

Michael muttered something about damn sloppiness, then responded. "We need every one of them, then. Let's..."

Before he could finish, a beeping sound came from one of the consoles, indicating the tower's gate had just been opened. Both stayed inanimate for a second, eyeing the indication in disbelief, then Max tried to close it again... and failed. Both of them, nobody uttering a word, sprinted up the stairs.

* * *

"Soft restart!"

Two words, perfectly safe under usual circumstances. It was all I had to say to condemn my enemies to almost certain death. When I first saw the grate falling squarely on Mido's head, I thought that would be one of the funniest scenes we would recall in the future, laughing our heads off along with the rest. How a steel grate knocked a reploid guard silly out of the blue. But then the Mavericks followed. Mido had no chance, really, when the bitch pinned him down like that. Still he shouldn't have died.

Mido was virtually a rookie, only recently recruited and placed in my squad. At first he was shy and timid, even more so when he learned he would be on regular duty along with his commander, me. But after a few hours of uneasy silence, he decided to open up. A fun guy, good to have around during the long empty hours of guard duty, but also a great, responsible soldier. But he was still a rookie and still naive.

When we heard about intruders in some other part of the complex, we were weary at first, but then fall back to our regular routine, Mido making a funny comment about why the green Maverick crossed the road or something. I was still more alert than usual, but I clearly understood that to see an enemy in every shadow is a certain path to insanity. Still, perhaps I should have retained my paranoia, forcing this encounter to end with me on the winning side. I can't help blaming myself for not being able to help him. He was my responsibility, of course, and perhaps the closest I had to a friend. Of course, I have lost people like him before, either by Maverick or by rogue mechaniloid, and I can endure...

They say revenge is to be eaten cold, but that's merely because the more time passes, the less prepared the one at the receiving end is. I would usually hesitate pulling something like that even on them, my sworn enemies, even more since they actually intended to spare my life. But I had just been ambushed and overmatched inside home territory, plus the happy fellow I was chatting with not a minute before was then lying in an expanding pool of his own vital liquids. It's always the happy fellows first, I realize. The rest of us that survive seemingly have devil's luck. Call it a curse if you want, for without the happy ones, life is so bleak.

Even though they were Mavericks, I still can't totally silence some pangs of guilt as I run towards the command center to report the incident. That blond bitch seems to have ruined my comm.

"Any signs of them?", I ask almost indifferently after my report is over. The operator I spoke to, looks at me incredulously, knowing chances are our enemies are dead somewhere around the universe. Still, I outrank him a few notches and so he complies with my indirect order. He first regards his screens almost boringly, but he then jumps up, his eyes going wide. I inspect his screen and quickly realize what's wrong. Talk about devil's luck. It seems the bitch that almost killed me some minutes ago is still alive. Damn, the one she had brought along must have been the funny fellow...

That thought aside, I now feel rage inside me. I might have half-regretted my impulse to send the Mavericks into a horror trip through unknown universe's limbo, but that was when I had them for dead. But the bitch actually survived! If it was the other one, I might have considered ignoring him, letting him slip away, but she was the one that defeated me. I'm a warrior and I value my pride. I quickly assemble a tiny team. Nothing too fancy, two more reploids and five Pantheons. Damn energy shortage makes our job that much more difficult.

Some time later, we reach our destination. Miraculously, she ended her trip close to the starting point, perhaps five minutes fast-paced walking away. That's almost unheard of. Her companion could be counting daises on Mars by now. And not finding any, for the matter. As we approach, I feel my body stiffening, my hand going for my energy whip by its own. The two other reploids seem to be chatting merrily and laughing, but I stopped listening some time ago. My mind is too preoccupied to properly be exposed to most of the off-color jokes they share.

The bitch that nearly killed me lies just before me, apparently unconscious and almost inanimate. It is obvious the botched transing I caused did quite a number on her, since she bleeds from many minor wounds. I refrain to take pleasure from the spectacle, as much as I want to, and motion everybody to be ready should the bitch attempts anything funny. She seems to be regaining her senses all of a sudden and... she is trembling? I'm between finishing her off on the spot or arresting her. My whip appears in my grasp and yet I still can't decide. At first, sparing her might seem the best choice, but that's not true. I know what the Neo-Arcadian government does to captured Mavericks and ending her suffering now seems much more humane under the light of this knowledge. Having made up my mind, I raise my whip high, meaning to deliver a single, clean stroke that will hopefully be painless and swift.

And I pause as I hear a cry behind me.

An about face reveals me a highly unlikely scene, but I know by now that reality is a cruel mistress. The first reploid accompanying me is flat on the ground, obviously dead because of a certain missing head. And the second has just being stabbed through his generator by what appears to be a violet energy rapier.

Damn, more funny fellows won't laugh again. Through the inevitable explosion, steps a figure, the apparent owner of the aforementioned rapier. The first thing I notice is that he is dressed in pink and gold of all colors and he favors long golden locks. I briefly debate about his gender, but he is obviously male. He actually seems to be in a rather ugly state, days of dust and dirt clinging on him and his hair, but the two prone bodies before him hint otherwise.

And then I notice the black cyber-elf beside him, the apparent source of that astonishing power he had just displayed. Cursing, I prepare to face an opponent I fear I cannot defeat...

* * *

As the impossibly heavy gate started to slide open, all nine Resistance members readied their weapons and remained still, as if expecting X himself to fall upon them and consume them. Instead, a floating white light came out, apparently flying erratically but hastily nonetheless.

"What are you waiting for?", asked Isis in an annoyed, high-pitched voice. "A welcoming committee?"

The spell broken, the squad made its way inside the brightly lit chamber, the tower's entering hall, Colbor following last. As soon as everybody was inside the tall structure, Isis disappeared inside the gate's locking mechanism and seconds later the portal was once again sealed tight.

Colbor was the first to talk, asking the obvious question. "Why is the counter-T field up again, Isis? You and Dr. Ciel were supposed to keep it deactivated.

The tiny figure's light seemed to diminish enough for the resistance commander to detect her angry scowl, though he was not the focus of the emotion. "At first it went well", she started at length. "You severed the correct cables and we two kept only what we needed online. But then..." Isis stopped, something between embarrassment and frustration playing on her features. "But then someone called Michael or something burst inside. He had figured out what we did and the operator found about our little tweaking and reset everything to locked defaults. Ciel can do nothing remotely and I can't enter the generator room."

After the cyber-fay finished her explanation, Colbor sighed but nodded. "Don't blame yourself, Isis. You did what you could."

"Humph. As if I would", replied the elf in mock irritation, although the commander's comment had been quite on the mark. "But... thanks anyway", she finished, promptly flying away.

"It seems we underestimated that one vigilant guard that contacted the bunker losers", commented Bolthor, never seizing checking his surroundings. "So, what do you propose commander?"

Colbor briefly closed his eyes in thought, then turned to face his eight companions. "We have two choices. Either head downwards and try to deactivate the generator, leaving our backs uncovered, or try to take out the garrison while they are still disorientated."

"I don't appreciate backstabbers left behind me. I say we take them while we can", said the large gray reploid, voicing his thoughts and rubbing his knuckles.

"But we don't know how many they are", said Bianka hesitantly. "We can't walk blindly like that!"

"Sixty mediocre reploids, many of them drowsing or drunk, spread in all thirty floors", reported Isis casually, again gathering all attention on her person. "And the generator's door is half a meter thick."

Everybody sighed and Bianka realized the decision has already been made for them. They would need hours to get past that door and, drunk or not, they couldn't possibly face sixty soldiers at the same time. Better fight them few at a time.

- - -

The blood in their artificial veins froze the very moment they heard the first cry of death from behind them. It also assisted the two winded reploids, Michael and Max, in convincing three particularly stubborn soldiers, that were not at all fond to be rudely awakened during their 'siesta', that something was truly and terribly amiss.

"We are running out of time", growled Michael as he, Max and their now mortified three fellow soldiers ascended to the next floor. "And at this rate, we will be cornered at the top of the tower."

"Aren't your fellow snipers up there, too?", inquired Max thoughtfully. "They are capable enough if their performance specs are accurate."

The Neo-Arcadian sniper shook his head. "They are almost as good as I with a rifle, but they know next to nothing about close combat. Plus they have no idea how hairy things are right now."

Another scream underlined his words, only pushing them to run at a pace they never knew they were capable of.

- - -

They encountered their first combat on the staircase between the third and fourth floor, three disorientated reploids that still believed this was nothing more than a drill, and dispatched them swiftly. However, the first real challenge appeared on the fifth level of the security tower. Five fully armed and armored reploids, three featuring standard plasma rifles, the other two favoring beam blades.

Having camped in place to annihilate everybody that would enter through the security stair's doorframe, they nearly laughed aloud as a large gray reploid rushed in, promptly pelting him with plasma shots from three different sources. Bolthor was a bit stunned by the ambush, but retain enough presence of mind to activate his repulsor shield all around his body, deflecting dozens of shots but stumbling backwards under their mere momentum. One Neo-Arcadian lost the importance of the simmering field encasing his target and let a howl of victory, one that stopped rather abruptly as a shot from behind the gray fighter slammed on his face with enough force to knock him unconscious. His companions watched in disbelief, as Bolthor rose apparently none the worse for wear, but then ducked forward. The second rifle wielder only saw a white flash jumping on the enemy reploid's back, then towards him before he realized a ruby red energy dagger had just sliced his neck. While Bianka's attack might not have been lethal for the Neo-Arcadian, the frantic shots of his companion that targeted her and missed, surely were.

In the meantime, Colbor engaged a quite skilled melee fighter in a one-on-one duel, his beam axe screeching against his opponent's short blade. Realizing his opponent's lighter weapon gave him the advantage of speed, the commander went fully offensive, trying to keep his opponent at bay with sheer strength. The guard, however, was too good for that. Instead of backing away, he firmly kept his ground, parrying or dodging every one of Colbor's frantic swipes. Seconds later, their weapons locked together, purple axe against orange blade, their respective owners pushing with all their might.

The last guard, preferring a longer and slightly curved beam blade, deflected the shots from two enemy soldiers, leaped as high as his powerful legs would get him, them attempted to slam his blade on the seemingly unarmed Bolthor. The former bounty hunter brought a large black gauntlet in the sword's path, and the Neo-Arcadian expected his weapon to cut through the feeble defense. To his surprise, a silvery field appeared around the fist and the blade was harmlessly deflected, seemingly refusing to bite the hardened obstacle. The guard lost his balance and could do nothing as Bolthor's other hand slammed him brutally, the field activating the last possible moment and multiplying the attack's potency, cracking armor and throwing him on the opposite wall like a rug doll. The gray warrior also had to take two steps back, losing a healthy amount of his balance and having to absorb the backlash of his augmented punch. The soldier that had half his face torn away, regained consciousness at that exact moment and promptly went to fire his rifle at the distracted former mercenary, ignoring the fact that only one of his eyes was still intact, the left side of his face having melted down to reveal his battered metal cranium. Unfortunately for him, his handicap caused him to fail perceiving more incoming shots that finished the half done job by blowing his head and energy core at the same time.

The ensuing explosion happened just behind Colbor's opponent, momentarily distracting him and allowing Colbor to pull a risky maneuver. The Resistance commander let his opponent's blade to slide on the outer curve of his double-headed axe, then trapped it inside the gap between the twin bodies of energy, reversing his momentum and pushing the sword upwards, while the lower part of the weapon dug hungrily in his foe's forearm. Colbor almost smiled as he felt his axe reaching the metallic bone beneath the skin, stopping briefly, but then continuing. His opponent's screams stopped soon afterwards as the beam axe disengaged from the severed weapon and limb and relieved the Neo-Arcadian from both pain and head.

As on cue, everybody left a sigh of relief. "I think we can use a small break", said Bolthor panting and leaning against a wall, his words reflecting everybody's thoughts.

* * *

Axl's analysis of his gigantic opponent yield no results, the behemoth apparently being protected against that kind of scrying. Cursing, the black armored reploid readied his pistols, deciding to learn his opponent's capabilities through trial and error.

_I'd better stick to my original form for now, _he thought after some reflection. _This guy seems to be melee based and I think I'll avoid close quarters, thank you._

Axl accompanied his thoughts with equally fast energy shots, fired in a scattered pattern and striking the android in multiple places. The former hunter observed his shots carefully, trying to decipher which of them would cause a favorable- for him- reaction. And winced as every last of his shots was equally deflected by the armor plates, leaving no hint behind.

"For your convenience, I inform you that Garon has no particularly weak visible point on his armor", declared the voice almost joyfully. "I have learned much from my previous mistakes."

Axl wondered for a moment who the voice might be, but he only had that moment before all four spheres attached at the end of the robot's appendages seemingly melted and reformed to four heavy duty plasma cannons. Huge orbs of fast moving energy forced him to perform a backflip jump, then ignite his thrusters, as the projectiles rammed the floor he was standing a split second before, causing a massive shockwave and leaving a crater that was 'healed' moments later. Axl landed in a crouch and immediately reformed both of his pistols into a single, large weapon. A missile left the launcher almost instantly, Axl hardly needing time to aim perfectly, and exploded on the android, shrouding it in smog. Axl never paused to see the result of his attack, firing his large weapon relentlessly, salvos of more missiles rocking the chamber to its core. Finally satisfied with his onslaught, the black tiger morphed the launcher back to his pistols and cautiously tried to pry through the veil of smoke he had created.

"Duck!"

It was Tone's voice that probably saved his neck. Literally. With his attention focused dead ahead, he would have otherwise missed the four projectiles coming for him two from each side. Trusting his companion completely, Axl fell to his hands and knees as four flat metal rings, their edges sharp enough to leave deep marks on the wall, passed from the exact point his neck occupied a moment ago and circled back to their source. Peering ahead, Axl saw the android extending his now-bare limbs and flawlessly catching the deadly rings, promptly morphing them back to spheres as it slowly marched forward. Most importantly, the behemoth only displayed swallow scratches where the black hunter expected to see missile holes.

"This is getting interesting", gulped Axl, but then smiled. It had been years since he had fought such a worthy opponent. In fact, the last time he really found himself in a pinch was when he encountered Zero's original... _NO!_, screamed Axl mentally, realizing that to recollect that hopeless battle would only leave him vulnerable. _This is no dear friend turned monster. It's just an admittedly well armored but plain robot._ With such thoughts, his whole body became shrouded with light and he started to change.

* * *

At long last, Colbor and what remained of his squad reached the top floor. Three more of their companions laid dead beyond recovery behind them, one caught in a nasty plasma grenade detonation, the other beheaded by an enemy blade wielder that Bolthor subsequently and literally squeezed dead and the third catching a pretty intense and rare laser beam that neatly pierced his head and control circuit.

The six remaining soldiers and Isis were thoroughly drained and injured, but still determined to prevail. The cyber-elf had overloaded so many rifles and beam weapons, her aura was occasionally flickering, revealing the strain she felt. Colbor's injured leg that had previously been sealed by his blood's nanites, had reopened after a glancing energy spear hit and he also featured some broken fingers and a matching slash on his right arm. Bolthor was relatively unhurt, though his highly energy demanding shield could not be deployed anymore, its exclusive energy capacitor drained to the bone and his heavy armor was dented in countless spots. Bianka was only hit once, but that wound counted for many. Her left hand was now useless after a beam saber was stabbed in her shoulder blade up to the hilt, dangerously close to her energy core, its user dead before he had a chance to turn the jab into a slash that would have severed her arm or neck. While the wound was bandaged, the agonizing pain was still evident in her pale features. The rest four Resistance soldiers had also sustained injuries, one actually missing a hand, another using a rifle as a walking stick.

Colbor took some steps forward and cautiously regarded the ladder that leaded up and outside. At the end, he decided to go first, not sure of what to expect. As he grabbed the steel handle, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I will go first", whispered Bianka, her features pained but resolute.

Colbor frowned. "I'm the squad leader and so I have to secure as many of my men as I can, Bianka. Besides your one arm is useless now", he answered in the same, silent tone.

The ninja remained still. "That's the point. I bet somebody is waiting up there with a saber to slice anybody fool enough to emerge with his hands occupied. And you need both your hands with this bad leg. Aside from you, I'm the only one fluent enough to block a blind hit", she explained grasping a red kunai tightly.

Colbor considered the request, raking his mind for an alternative but finding none. He nodded wearily and Bianka jumped on the ladder, only using her feet to ascend, followed closely by everybody else. Predictably enough, a blue blade tried to smash her as she became visible, but she expertly parried the blow with one hand and blade, regaining her balance as fast as the offender lost his own. Bianka promptly thrust her kunai at her hapless would-be assassin, puncturing his energy core and kicking him backwards as she jumped away from an overkill of energy shots. The explosion masked the hatch long enough for the rest of Colbor's squad to swiftly join her and assume battle stances. As the smoke cleared, both parties regarded each other but remained very still. There were five enemies now, but one of them seemed a researcher rather than a battle model. Isis indicated a certain, plain looking reploid donned in generic Neo-Arcadian light armor and Colbor nodded.

"I presume you are the one named Michael", started the Resistance commander, his tone imposing.

"What would that matter to a Maverick leader", spat the reploid in question. "And what if I am?"

Colbor sighed. "If you must call us by that hated name, so be it. However, I ask from you and your companions to stand down. I promise you will not be hurt."

Every other Neo-Arcadian frowned and went to fire, but Michael held them back. "They say that the value of a Maverick's word is less than dirt. However...", he added quickly after getting mixed messages of rage and resignation, "...I am willing to give you the benefit of doubt. And also chances are that we cannot survive a battle against you after slaying everybody else in the building."

Colbor narrowed his brows, sensing something was wrong. "What is your point? We don't derive pleasure from what we do and I'd rather not kill anybody else today. If a battle starts here, you will have made the first move."

Michael seemed stunned for only a moment, but then tensed, as if ready to jump upon them anyway. Instead, he let his large rifle fall back on his shoulder and raised his arms above his head. Before anybody could figure if he was readying an attack or was just surrendering, a medium-sized projectile escaped upwards. After reaching a certain height, it exploded, leaving a bright green beckon behind, as luminous as the now waning sun. Cursing, Colbor went for an attack, but his opponents were nowhere to be seen. After blinking twice, he finally realized the importance of the six ropes tight on the tower's rail. Dashing to the edge, he got glimpse of the five reploids reaching the ground safely, then making a run for the warehouse to the other side of the great yard, as the ropes themselves caught fire that consumed them. Warehouse #13, their mission's original target. But then his head snapped to the opposite direction, detecting movement. Surely enough, he saw a large battalion of pantheons, mechaniloids and some reploids pouring from the rest of the great complex, the beckon compensating for the lack of communications. The army slowly circled the tower, causing one of Colbor's soldiers to collapse on his knees and everybody's hope sank to the bottom of their souls.

But at that specific moment, Bolthor happened to look upwards. What he saw as the beckon's light started to die out, was a single black spot on the sky that slowly became big enough for him to recognize as a reploid. And when he deciphered the color and shape of the reploid's armor, he could only utter a single word that caught everybody else in surprise.

"Zero?"

Maybe hope was not lost after all...

* * *

'Runs away from murderous readers' Yes, I know I left Zero out of the chapter till the very end and I also left some cliffies, but I had to bring Colbor's mission up to par and I slightly miscalculated ;-D Any guesses about the voice or Eliza's savior? (that last is a dead giveaway...) Also, I'd like your opinion about my 'Exclusive' teleportation theory. XDTo PhiloWorm: Nah, the escape at the game was far easier. Plus a charged smash still won't bring down a door -.- I have already thought about all OCs I need for the MMZ1 storyline. However, should I need a character I'll be glad to accept one. Ever played MMX2 Sigma battle? That kind of virus XD. If this chapter was promising, what will the next be? O.0 

**To Shadow Enigma:** Zero is a bit absent here, but I want to believe the Axl part of the story compensates for that. I read all of WH yesterday and I will send a review. Perhaps tommorow, because its kind of late now...

**To MyGBAcanTalk: **Glad you liked the flashbacks. I was afraid they were boring... Yes, I'm back and can't stop typing XD. As for zippers, I assure you they are much more dangerous for me than they are for you...

**To Ri2:** Glad to be back. Well, he had many more of them during those long minutes of countdown, I just couldn't think of more;-) I hope at least you like them. Just think about what Zero will think during my next non-intense chapter. Having only a one-perspective view at things is dangerous. I assure you Zak and Elisa are... NOT ok. Elisa will survive, and as for Zak... 'is shot before he spoils' You will have to wait to see Zero playing commando... XD

**To Zidet:** Zero was always scary if he would want to seem so. Now he does it without even trying XD And yes your chapter was a good one.

**To Tussilago: **Of course I'll keep it up. Sometimes it feels as if this story has a will of its own and asks to be written. XD

**To isis2k2:** As I have said, I'm honoured that people actually devote so much time to read this story turned monster. Welcome on board! I too can't wait for the Zero-Harpuia battle, but fortunately or unfortunately, I still have much more to write. I will try to follow the most logic approach, leaving the generals for after the 'mole' mechaniloid assault. I believe that is the natural way to develop a relationship between Zero and Ciel. And I warn you that I equally value the Zero/Ciel and Zero/Leviathan cases. XD

**To MAD-MAN: **I know about that rumour, I got the mail. However, I won't stop for two reasons. First of all, review answers mean a lot to me, both when I write and when I read them. Secondly, I'm not entirely convinced about the info's validity. I'll accept the risk if only to see the truth. And don't worry, I already have another ffnet account ready as well as copies of the chapters in multiple places XD.

Until next time!


	20. Of towers, robots and ghosts

Welcome and many questions need answers. Will Axl beat Garon? Will Zero save the day? Will Elpizo(yes that's the one) save Elisa? And (insert dark booming voice) Who is the mysterious voice? Also, we have somehow reached twenty chapters. And the end is nowhere near XD

* * *

Chapter 20: Of towers, robots and ghosts.

As the light subsided, a new figure stepped forward from the place Axl occupied a second ago. The form the back tiger had chosen was one of the many he had compiled by using pieces of DNA code from multiple opponents, a grueling task considering that foreign data bits would more often than not have difficulties working together, the feasible combinations few. Still, it allowed him to take advantage of his copy chip to its fullest. The form he had chosen concentrated primary on armor piercing attacks and secondary on speed. His new body was tall and lanky, covered by green, white and orange light armor. Thrusters on both his feet and back, combined with a specially modified secondary sensor network allowed him faster reaction times than before and maneuverability in all directions. But the most imposing part of his new armor were the arms. While by themselves perfectly human, each of them featured an embedded, dual-barreled magnetic machine gun. Axl could keep both of them steady enough so that each bullet would hit the exact point the last one did. And last but not least, all of them were loaded with adamantine bullets, constantly replaced by new ones produced by a matter condenser and capable of piercing through almost anything.

A century ago, when he had first used this form, Zero had aptly named it the 'mower'. And that's what it would do: mow down either full regiments of enemies, or puncture the hardest shell with hundreds of small holes. Axl briefly smiled at the memory and turned to face his opponent, all four barrels ready to unleash their onslaught.

And unleash they did.

At first, Axl fired his rounds scattered, meaning to cause as extensive damage as possible in as little time as possible. The first armor-piercing rounds hit the robot's armor following four trails, two going vertical, the rest horizontal. But the black tiger underestimated his mindless opponent. Should he have concentrated his shots on one specific point, the armor would have surely given. Instead, the bullets dug deep in the armor plates but could not individually penetrate. And then his element of surprise was lost, as Garon rose all four appendages, the four metal spheres reshaping and melding together to form a semi-sphere protective shell. Axl realized his fault and concentrated his fire on a fixed point of the newly formed shield, each bullet punching the last one deeper. And gawked in utter disbelief as the robot behind sustained no further damage than the initial hits.

Noticing his amazement, the voice spoke again calmly. "That was a good move, young Axl, but you were late. Garon's shield instantly reforms itself after every bullet hits it. And your bullets do penetrate, but with their power spent."

As on cue, Axl who had never stopped firing, noticed a small but growing mount of bullets appearing at each of the shield's sides, as the now powerless projectiles were discarded. But the black tiger grinned anyway. "No matter, old geezer. Even if I can't turn your toy into French cheese, it is pinned down. Its 'hands' are full of trouble and he moves too slow to counter-attack. I can keep this rate of fire for hours, far beyond its working time."

The voice cackled maniacally, but then elaborated. "That would be true only if Garon was a mere armor class robot. But my creation is far more. In fact, I have given it an attack form after every state of matter. You have merely seen its 'solid' state, Axl Red..."

As on cue, the large shield rushed forward with extreme speed, attempting to bash the black hunter in the wall. Axl easily dashed to the side, but had to halt his shots. And that was exactly what the robot wanted. Axl watched in awe as Garon rabidly changed shape. Many of his armor plates moved and folded, forming spikes and making it seem slimmer than before. Its feet changed shape, becoming steadier and pointed, while its legs and body became hunched, as if assuming a battle stance. All four arms seemed to become more complicated as new components left the torso and sled on their frame. And lastly, the large discarded shield flew back, changing into four parts once again, each attaching to each arm. Only this time, instead of spheres they resembled long, curved, serrated metal blades.

"... now face its 'liquid' form", finished the voice, not even missing a beat during the split second the transformation lasted.

Instead of a towering giant, the behemoth now resembled an enormous praying mantis more than anything else, ready to slash at its victim. Axl far from froze, thinking his now less armored opponent will fall easily to his penetrating bullets. A second later he swore and jumped away, igniting all his thrusters to avoid a wicked slash. With unreal speed, the previously slow droid had dashed towards him, clearing their distance in no time and somehow avoiding all of Axl's adamantine rounds. The black tiger crouched and examined the swallow cut on his leg, eyeing his now still adversary with a mixture of anger and awe. Had he not be wearing armor, the hit would have severed the limb.

"The 'liquid' form sacrifices half of its endurance and raises its speed exponentially. Combined with powerful melee attacks, it's useful when his 'solid' form is too encumbering", recited the voice calmly, as if addressing an audience. "And, of course, the nanobots changing the metal's shape also allow it to cut sharper than an average beam weapon."

Axl calmed down again and focused on his opponent. He could see the robot was ready to lash at him again. "If this thing can change forms so fast...", started, now grinning again, "...so can I", he finished while assuming another form.

* * *

Zero blinked and found himself staring at the blue sky and the sun that crept towards the horizon's end. With uncanny ease, he reached and pressed a button on the stripe on his shoulder, causing his parachute to unveil. Almost instantly, a translucent globe of synthetic material expanded above him, breaking his fall, while twin directional thrusters strapped on his back followed. He also noticed in relief that the radar scrambler was active, although it didn't have enough energy for visual cloaking. No anti-air defenses would be focusing on him any time soon.

Satisfied his fall was going smoothly, he regarded the scene below. The refinery complex was actually an assortment of large structures and free space seemingly shoved between great mountain masses. Directly below him was the most remote part of the complex, connected to the rest of the compound by a narrow corridor carved in rock but still wide enough to barely allow the passage of a golem mech. The most dominating feature was naturally the high spire, placed directly in the middle to efficiently survey the local area, followed by the actual warehouse that was only three stories high but many times wider than the tower.

"It's exactly like it was on that map." Zero turned to regard the cyber-elf floating next to him and found Siri scanning the area expertly. "Whoever made this place knew his job."

"Too true, Siri. Without Ciel and Isis scrambling the defenses, few could survive an infiltration here", he said thoughtfully.

"Do you think they are alive?"

The red hunter regarded his companion intently. Although her aura obscured her tiny features, he had started learning to read her moods. Worry bordering on desperation lingered in her features and tiny voice, although a healthy spark of hope still existed.

"We can only hope for the best", he answered, not bothering to conjure a better response.

Siri nodded, but then turned to regard Zero from head to toe. "But will you be alright? That Maha character did quite a number on you." The cyber-elf conveniently avoided mentioning the state of rage Zero had slipped in towards the end, but he recalled all too well. The sheer bloodlust, the use of pain as fuel and the pleasure he derived despite himself. At that moment it had felt so good, had felt so... proper.

_What is wrong with me? Why do I lapse in such a state when things get sticky? And how much can I control it?_ Zero's thoughts wandered on his other two major battles of his new life and the new, quite large but still minuscule part of his memories he had recovered earlier, but then he frowned. _This is not the time. I need to push the questions aside for now. If anything, I might as well use that rage to save Colbor and the rest. There will be time later..._

"I will be fine, Siri. Even now, most of my injuries are half-way healed. If things are anything like Ciel hinted, Colbor and his merry band will be much worse for wear."

The multicolored cyber-elf sighed, but had to admit the truth in Zero's words. While her companion was far from intact, one of the red 'horns' on his helmet still missing and his armor still cracked, the damage was almost regenerating before her very eyes, cracks slowly diminishing, torn fabric growing and missing bits being replaced.

"Just don't push yourself too...", she replied sighing, but had to stop as the world around them assumed a bright green hue. "What is going on?", she gasped, blindly reaching Zero's shoulder and settling there to avoid getting separated.

The crimson hunter's response was almost a snarl as he grated his teeth but said nothing, although his expression spoke volumes. So bright a flash would be visible from afar. Even if the communications were malfunctioning as per Colbor's plan, that beacon's message would be clear. _Crystal clear_, he thought, unholstering his buster. _If they had troubles before, now they will be simply swept away._

And his fears proved to be true half a minute later, when he was low enough and the flash weakened enough for him to regain visibility. At first he noticed Colbor, Bianka, Bolthor and three other resistance soldiers on top of the security tower, sighing as he recalled the original team included ten members. He then saw five other figures sprinting away from the imposing structure and heading towards the massive warehouse as fast as their dash boosters could take them. But what demanded his attention were the hoards of enemies that poured from the single corridor leading to the sub-complex. While none of them formidable by themselves, the sheer quantity of them all was overwhelming. The fact they had hover platforms amidst their ranks made things look worse.

* * *

"It's Zero! It's really him!"

While Colbor really wanted to join the celebration, he knew very well reality was harsher than that. Because, while Zero was a formidable ally, perhaps the strongest reploid in Resistance's ranks, even he could not turn the tide against such odds. At least not easily.

"Cut it out, everyone!", he shouted above the chatter, his commanding voice demanding their attention. "Zero's presence means we _might_ have a chance of surviving. And only if we do our best, ladies and gentlemen, so stop wasting energy like that and focus on the fight at hand!"

His command had the desired result, as everybody nodded almost ashamed and looked downwards. And not a moment too soon, as the hover platforms, their levitation engines barely humming, were hard at work, having cleared half the tower's height and holding droves of enemies. Ready to give the example, Colbor left his beam axe handy and drew a small but powerful sidearm, trying to cause as much damage as possible to the incoming waves. The three other resistance members did the same, almost firing their rifles to overheating and targeting below the tower's rail, while Bianka extended her good hand towards their foes, the armor on her wrist opening and a hail of small but potent beam surikens flying out. Aiming was not really a priority, their closely standing enemies being an unmissable target. Many pantheons were hit, some collapsing on the spot full of holes or ripped to shreds, others plummeting down to their doom, but what they hit were only leaves in a forest. Bolthor swore heavily for a moment, lacking his shield and the ability attack from afar, but knew fully well that this battle's course would be decided by close combat. However fast his companions might shoot, there was no way to stop their enemies from boarding. There were many platforms ascending from all the tower's sides. Soon enough, an intact group of pantheon hunters reached the opposite side of the spire's top, hoping from the ride which started to descend immediately and assuming battle formations. The gray warrior was already dashing towards the mindless platoon, meaning to disable them before his teammates found energy shots on their backs. Using unusual speed for his bulky frame and armor, he dodged the first, halfhearted wave of fire and reached them soon afterwards. His hand shot forward, grabbing an X-droid from the head and crushing its scull with superior strength, then proceeded to use the limp body as a temporary shield against the impending shots. The pantheons would not hesitate at all, pelting their companion with energy bolts to remove the bothersome obstacle and harm the gray warrior, but Bolthor was a step ahead of them. As soon as he felt the drone's still active energy core overloading, he wisely discarded his shield, throwing it forward. The ensuing blast ravaged the first line of attackers and served to disorientate the rest, causing them to hold their fire. The former bounty hunter never stopped, dashing through the smoke and slamming on his enemies at full force. The pantheon's feeble armor could do little against his strength and moments later none of them remained, their only memento some more dents on his armor.

But Bolthor never had time to celebrate as three more pantheon hunter groups reached the tower's top, all of them ready to pick targets. A white and purple blur fell on the first team, Bianka slashing with only one hand but doing an honest to goodness great job. The X-drones that tried to catch up with her would more often than not hit their own teammates as the white ninja dodged almost everything, her red kunai severing buster arms, legs and heads ruthlessly. Still, Bolthor cringed as at least three bolts of energy hit her. She hardly stopped, but the former bounty hunter knew her armor was much less endurant than his own. Swearing some more, he started towards the general direction of the two other groups but almost faltered as a third group, this time consisted of much more dangerous pantheon guardians, appeared between them.

But then something fell from the sky.

Time seemed to freeze as Zero landed behind the first pantheon hunter squad, having discarded his parachute in favor of haste. With unreal speed, he slammed his raised Z-saber towards the mass of enemies. Bolthor expected four or five to drop dead from this strike. What he did not expect, was a brilliant and massive shockwave of energy leaving the blade. The charged smash reduced the whole squadron, all twenty of them, into a churning and smoking pile of scrap in one fell swoop. But at the time Bolthor registered what had happened, the crimson warrior was already dashing through the group of pantheon guardians, seemingly dancing away from their energized clubs and slashing at them faster than the gray warrior could blink. Despite their efforts, the enemies kept coming in increasingly swelling numbers, all Resistance members unable to snipe the ascending foes because of the battles at hand.

Colbor and his three companions worked together, the trio of rifle-wielders keeping a group of pantheons occupied while their commander kept swiping his axe in frenzied arcs, not merely as effective as Zero but quite competently nonetheless.

Said scarlet reploid had just finished tearing at the third group of pantheons and was the first to see the new threat. Instead of X-drones, the platforms now brought larger-and deadlier- mechaniloids. Zero had faced them earlier that day, while making his way towards Maha's chamber, but never more than one at the time. But now no less than ten such enemies landed on the tower. They were as tall as an average reploid, but far bulkier and using wheels instead of legs. And where their hands would be, they featured two long appendages holding a massive spiked cylinder.

In close quarters, they opted to keep their ground, holding their lethal weapon above their bodies and smashing it on any intruder foolish enough to came in range. But now that they had relatively wide space to operate, they moved in a line, brought their cylinders to the ground and simply dashed forward, a wall of spikes leading their way. Colbor and his three companions saw the attack and tried to retaliate with their long-ranged weapons, but the cylinders were made of energy-shielded material that shrugged their simple shots without a mark to tell the tale. Running out of options fast, they decided to try and leap above the inbound danger. Not a moment too soon, the four soldiers dashed towards their enemies, their speed boosters working in overdrive, then took to the air above the mechaniloids. Colbor's companions cleared the obstacle if only barely, but their commander was not that lucky. His wounded leg betrayed him at the last moment, making his jump less than satisfactory. And to make things worse, the mechaniloid beneath him sensed the move and halted its mad dash, raising its weapon above its body. Colbor once again stared at death as the spiky and still rotating cylinder below him seemingly goaded him to approach. But Zero was up to the challenge. Reading the scene in nanoseconds, he leaped high in the air, dashing all the while, then soaring through the air with unreal speed. During his flight, he briefly curved into a ball, causing his body to rotate, and kept flying with his feet leading the way. Colbor barely registered the move as the crimson hunter bolted between the waiting mechaniloid and the falling commander, extending his blade and slashing the first in the middle as he passed, allowing the second to land between the two halves of his would be bane. The commander retained enough presence of mind to leap away as soon as he touched the floor, milliseconds before the mechaniloid exploded in a show of brilliant fire. Zero never stopped, reaching the other mechaniloids, each of his feet colliding with the backs of two cylinder wielders that were close to the tower's edge. Using the two bulks as leverage, he leaped forward, completely reversing his momentum and landing only to dash towards the next enemy he could see, ignoring the mechaniloids that plummeted beyond the edge, falling and colliding with an ascending platform brimming with pantheons. The explosion that followed after the combined mass of mechaniloids, pantheons and platform, crash-landing on top of more enemies that waited below, blissfully unaware of their demise, would have been enough to satisfy the old Zero...

* * *

Axl changed into a new body, another of the forms he had created by combining scraps of DNA data into complete forms. His armor was now colored a fiery red, spliced with purple and gold, and great wings sprouted from his back, supporting four separate ion thrusters. His helmet's front end resembled a beak and could actually be used as a melee weapon in a pinch, while a missile launcher was attached on each arm.

X had named this one the 'harrier' form. Its strong points were the ability to fly and float in the air indefinitely, its nasty homing and remote controlled missile launchers and its leeching drones option.

As soon as the transformation finished, the black tiger took to the air, flying close to the room's middle and not a moment too soon, for almost immediately, Garon dashed to the place Axl had been occupying and slashed with all four murderous blades. Axl retaliated by launching twin missiles, but instead of following a beeline, the projectiles attempted to circle around the robot and hit it on its back.

Garon reacted by scaling the wall, then jumping forward and above the shells and instead of stopping, he dashed all the way towards the chamber's opposite side, followed by two previously disorientated but now nominally functioning missiles. Axl regarded his opponent quizzically, trying to guess its intentions before it brought them to fruition. The robot scaled the opposite wall only to stop a bit higher than the height Axl floated. The black tiger thought about retreating for a while, but he already knew the robot could not reach him with one jump.

To his complete astonishment, Garon jumped off the wall by the time the twin projectiles passed under Axl, stepped for a fragment of a second on one of them, the missile's tracking system trying to follow the movement and tilting, then violently jerked forward, sending the first explosive device on the second and detonating them both. More importantly, the robot gained an extra foothold, as the black hunter realized to his horror, when he saw four very unsavory blades poised to hit him.

_Ok, I can't go back fast enough. Or up and sideways for the matter. Even if I kill my thrust, this thing comes faster than gravity. And I have nothing to block four freaking blades, at least not in the quarter of a second I have left. One way to go, although it fear it'll hurt..._

The four blades were placed wide apart from each other so that the victim would have no time to move towards any direction. Any direction but one. Axl released his thrusters' safeties, ignoring messages warning about possible long-term performance decay, then rushed forward towards the incoming robot, the beak of his helm extended, his wings folded to give him maximum speed.

Garon's AI could not retaliate fast enough and alter its attack. The four blades closed forward, one of them grazing Axl's helmet but leaving him unharmed, and clashed together, the four tips meeting at the exact same point. And at the same time, the black tiger collided on his opponent's abdomen, his sharp beak leading the way, his back and feet spiting torrents of fuel fire.

- - -

Tone, that had never stopped trying to destroy his ever regenerating prison, gasped audibly at the same time as Pulse did, but their voices were overpowered by an unreal shrill, as the combatants broke the sound barrier causing the huge chamber to shudder, followed by the maddening crash that ensued.

The siblings watched in disbelief, as Garon fell downwards with devastating speed, meeting the ground with an echoing thud, pieces of its armor raining around him, while Axl was propelled upwards and forward, hitting the wall close to the ceiling, leaving a sizable indentation and latching on the wall to regain his bearings.

**#Warning: severe damage inflicted. Copied form unstable. Right wing levitation unit out of order, thruster performance at 50 percent, armor resilience at 20 percent, right missile battery out of order, helmet missing. **

**#Warning: disengaging of copied form recommended. Skeletal structure damaged. An estimated 50 percent of inflicted damage will pass on original form. Overall status at 65 percent. Repair systems working at 95 percent. Seek repair session and/or rest as soon as possible. **

"Yep, it did hurt..."

Axl winced as the world around him apparently thought it would be neat to start spinning rabidly. His right hand fingers literally dug in the wall, while his left hand went to his head, causing what remained of his copied form's red and golden helmet to splint apart and fall.

"Axl, are you alive up there? Say something!"

Tone's demanding and urgent voice brought the black hunter back to reality. Valiantly shrugging the pain and the already fading dizziness, Axl let himself slide down slowly until he reached the floor and took a step forward, although his knees still felt weak.

"I'm ok, guys. Well, alive anyway."

At that moment, a clapping sound resounded from unseen speakers resembling applauding audience and the voice spoke again. "Bravo Axl Red. This time you used your head. In more ways than one, I should add. You are doing pretty well considering you are not even a 'megaman'."

Axl, by now fully aware, cocked a brow at the statement puzzled, prompting for an additional explanation. "At first there was only one worthy of the title, but he lost! And although I also lost my life as a result, I still treasure that moment and always will. Then came a time there were three, but only two were active. I tried my best to pit them against each other and I prevailed, but could not get them to fight to death and that bastard Sigma betrayed me..."

At the name of the long-dead nemesis, Axl jumped, his otherwise joyful and youthful face changing into a mask of hatred. "Who in the nine hells are you?", he bellowed. "Is that you, Weil? Have you returned after a century to destroy this world again?"

A snarl of equal hatred responded to his question and the voice became four times louder and darker. "If you ever presume again I am that copycat bastard, you and your friends will die at that instant and my research be damned!", he threatened, spiting the words.

Axl ignored the unseen captor's rage, but calmed down. "Then who are you?", he asked flatly.

The voice all but ignored him, returning to the original hue and intensity and continuing the apparently pointless recitation. "But now there are five of them, although the full explanation eludes me. The first has never awakened, although she still lives. The second, my former pride but carrier of my worst mistake, has lost his mind and slaves under the most hated. But his mind, in ways unknown to me, found a way in the third, although his power is still dormant. The fourth who is still alive, damn him, got weary of the world and fell to sleep, but his mind is now restless and wandering. In more than one ways. And the fifth", he added, contempt in his voice, "Looks like the fourth, but his mind and body are weak and wanting."

Axl remained mute for a while, trying to make the connections, but then remembered his current situation. "Whatever, big guy. It was good to meet you and all, but since our friend there is a bit out of it", he said indicating the inanimate robot, "We should excuse ourselves."

Instead of enraging, the voice played along with Axl's joke. "Oh, no need to leave so early. It would make my hospitality seem poor. Why, I could never live with that."

"You said you have already kicked the bucket", responded the black tiger, making a face, but then his eyes went wide, as Garon rose again, its body armor featuring a large but swallow hole and its speed deadly as ever. "But it was supposed to be dead!", he exclaimed, preparing for a potential fast attack.

The voice from above dripped sarcasm. "Oh, that? It apparently got better."

Instead of attacking, Garon shuddered for a second and started to change. The blasted armor plates were discarded, new ones sliding down to replace them. The legs folded backwards, locking on its back, but it remained idle as twin levitation engines were revealed underneath. The former legs turned in twin armored wings three times larger than Axl's and his rest body became more fluid and even-lined, although the lethal blades remained intact.

"Let me guess", frowned Axl. "That's his 'gaseous' form."

An insane chuckle was all he received as an answer...

* * *

Zero watched in dismay as more and more enemies poured from the main complex. Although he was relatively untouched, he still harbored injuries from his last battle as well as the inevitable weariness. And his companions were in much worse shape than he was, continuing to fight with only sheer willpower driving them, their bodies screaming for even a short brake.

His thoughts halted as a small fleet of jetpack-enhanced pantheons reached their position, trying to pin them down and covering their grounded allies. He deflected the first wave of energy bolts with relative ease, his green blade defending him against overpowering odds, but his companions could not fare that well. Colbor, still winded from his latest trial, barely managed to dodge three blasts, the fourth injuring his shoulder and missing his head by pure dumb luck. Bolthor, without his forcefield and being a far larger target, attracted more shots, dashing away but still getting hit by more that a few. His armor groaned in protest but its unnatural thickens protected him once again. However, the gray warrior knew another such hit might be his last. Bianka, on the other hand, her speed up to par with Zero's and her frame even more slender, managed to avoid all shots even with only one hand usable, although the sudden motion burst deteriorated her shoulder's injury, reopening the wound her nanobots had sealed. The rest three soldiers were not in range of the airborne attack, but only because they were deemed a minor threat, barely able to protect their lives anymore.

As the flying pantheons glided to a different position, ready for a second salvo of shots, the tower warriors retaliated with everything they could. Zero started firing rabidly with his Z-buster, realizing serious aiming will do little difference in such a filled with foes sky. Still, most of his shots would hit critical points of his enemies, two or three simple shots taking down each of them. Bianka followed his example, her kunai returning to her belt and her forearm armor raising to reveal her energy star generator, dozens of tiny surikens hitting targets more often than not. Colbor and his trio could do far less, but fired their standard weapons anyway, doing their share of damage. And Bolthor, unable to execute ranged attacks without his shield, improvised by dashing towards a deactivated but reasonably intact cylinder mechaniloid, his massive strength lifting the thing and hauling it towards the X-droids, swatting them like flies in midair.

The few remaining flyers increased their distance, firing a second time, although their numbers were decimated, spreading in all directions to make dodging harder. Bianka and Zero fought back to back, reading each other's movements as if they did that daily, both an indecipherable blur of white and crimson deflecting fury. Bolthor, on the other hand, reached beyond the tower's rail, grasping a platform filled with stunned X-droids that did not expect battle that early. With a mighty tug and a war cry, the former bounty hunter tilted the levitation platform, sending its load to a swift return journey towards the ground. He then proceeded to deactivate the slate's engines and use it as an effective shield against the enemy fire, the rest of the team also falling behind him.

Seconds later the rest of the drones were as good as dead, and everybody remained inanimate, a peculiar silence dominating the tower's top.

_Where the hell are the rest,_ thought Zero disturbed. Such battles hardly ended that smoothly. And the army they had to face should have been at least four times the number they had retired.

"Are you going to stay stunned as stones until they come again? Really, hotshots, you are dumb sometimes..."

Isis's voice shattered the silence and caused everyone to relax, if only slightly. But Zero was sure there was additional cockiness in her tone as well.

"What have you two been doing all that time?", he asked, turning to the white cyber-elf and her multicolored companion.

Isis only giggled maniacally, while Siri sighed and clarified. "We managed to short-circuit all transporting platforms you haven't yet disabled. This will buy us some time, at least against non-flyers", she added. Everybody except Colbor and Zero, who just smiled, applauded.

"The question is, what we do now", said a resistance soldier after the outbreak was over. Zero and Colbor regarded their companions and then turned to each other sighing. It was obvious that everybody expected those two to come up with a wonder plan.

"We obviously can't just stay here", started Colbor, his visage concerned. "They will soon bring new platforms and start their assault once more."

Zero nodded in consent. "We will retreat inside the tower for now and recuperate. I want to see if there are any advantages we can use inside and we all can use some respite. I believe the access hatch can be sealed tight from inside."

After inspecting the tower's upper entrance, everybody agreed with Zero. The portal could hold against any but the mightiest assaults, much like the rest of the tower. While everybody went down, Zero walked to the edge of the tower again to peer downwards. He verified with relief that no new enemies would be coming any time soon.

_Things are far from peachy, but at least we still stand a chance_, he thought at length.

_**Dodge!**_

Most in Zero's place would be utterly stunned to hear an alien voice coming from inside their head. However, Zero felt the urgency and complied, rabidly sidestepping and allowing the incoming highly concentrated energy bullet to miss his head. Without stopping to ponder just who was his mysterious savior, Zero followed the rest of his companions down the shaft, sealing the way behind him.

- - -

"How in blazes did I miss him!", shouted one of Michael's companions, throwing his rifle on the floor in sheer frustration. "He had no way of knowing my shot was coming!"

Cooped up inside warehouse's #13 upper floor and close to a window, the remaining five survivors of the tower thought themselves to be relatively safe.

Max lowered his binoculars and let out a whistle. "I have never seen a non-guardian reploid reacting that fast. And what we saw from the battle before... I would sure like to see what makes this guy tick."

Michael let out a sigh. "It will take our forces some time to finish them. For now we might as well remain here and wait."

Nobody challenged their informal leader's words and so he said nothing more, although what he had seen had unnerved him. _Just who is that red-armored reploid. He came out of nowhere and swiped everything. And also, that maverick leader seemed sincere and collected. Nothing like the frenzied monster we were told to expect. I have a bad feeling about this..._

_

* * *

_

Garon flew towards Axl with unmatched speed, its four blades moving rabidly, randomly and unpredictably. The black hunter forced his less-than-optimal thrusters to take him out of harm's way, gaining height in moments while a literal wall of swords raged beneath him. The airborne robot avoided the wall by a hair's width, tilting to fly parallel with it and then opting to slash at Axl's back. The black hunter backflipped in the air and behind Garon, latching on the wall and releasing more missiles. The robot sensed them and, without even turning its body, it brought its arms in an unnatural position behind its back, and slashed with surgical precision. Axl watched in disbelief, as his missiles fell to the ground harmlessly, the explosive warheads severed from their main body and unable to detonate.

_Ok, think Axl. This thing is as fast as this form is, which is almost as fast as you can do. It can also fly like a mother, while you are damaged. Hell, it has even analyzed your missiles. And you can't keep changing forms like that. Your energy is low as it is... Of course! Now that's a plan that just has to work!_

Garon flew towards Axl again and again, the black tiger dodging but apparently doing little else. Tone and Pulse watched in dismay as the robot definitely had the upper hand. They both knew their friend could not keep up against such odds for long. A single wrong move and Axl would end up in ribbons.

"We need to do something!", snarled Tone, ravaging the bars of his makeshift cell again and again with his sickle, only to watch them growing back instantly. "He won't make it!"

"Look", said Pulse, his voice calm. "Axl is smiling."

The violet-armored reploid frowned at his brother's comment, but then saw he was right. Even while Axl was fighting for his life, a grin decorated his face, one that kept growing while the battle raged.

Half a minute later, Garon touched the ground and remained still, apparently inactive. Axl also descended, panting heavily but still grinning. Tone noticed some of his injuries had regenerated as if...

"Axl! Did you use a subtank or something?", asked Tone his eyes wide. While subtanks were ridiculously expensive to start with, in this day and age their production had stopped completely and their schematics were incomplete. The few that remained from before the Elf wars were treasured like diamonds and rightly so.

The voice had another question. "Garon's power core should have had four minutes more charge . What did you do, Axl Red?"

Axl opened his palm to reveal a tiny object, small as a pea. "Leeching drones", he answered merrily, and the sibling could truly see many such objects tucked on Garon's body. "They absorbed energy from Mr. ugly here and transferred it to my repair systems."

"Soo", he continued, turning his gaze upwards, where he suspected a hidden camera should be. "Was that the end of your 'test'?"

The voice chuckled. "Since you half-cheated, I think I'll do the same. Unit Garon #3, override code 1-18-3-8-1-15-14. Activate auxiliary power capacitor. "

In response, the large robot shined and moved in battle stance again, raising from the ground. Axl sighed. "It has no hope anyway. My drones will suck its remaining power and you seem to have exhausted all three states of matter after which your robot has forms."

At this, the voice laughed hard. "I expected more from you, Axl Red. There is a fourth state of matter and a matching form for Garon."

"Fourth state?", muttered Axl, trying to remember, but then his eyes went wide.

"His fourth- and last- form, is the 'Plasma' one", continued the voice, and then Garon shuddered again, although no major changes became visible. Until a luminous, fiery aura engulfed its body. Although the field of energy would not harm it, anything else it touched was susceptible to vaporization.

"Oh, crap", muttered Axl, as Garon flew for him, this time a comet of superheated matter, but then blinked as Garon disappeared from sight while flying, only to reappear behind him.

Axl sensed the danger and did the only thing that could probably save his skin: dove to the ground, protecting his head with both hands. A blink later, the fiery behemoth bolted above him, missing any vital points but searing him nonetheless. As soon as it cleared him, the black tiger leaped up and took to the air again, for what good that would make him.

"Oh, did I forget to mention Garon now uses a short-wrap generator.?"

Axl's answer was a frown, that readily became a snarl when he realized that his leeching drones were predictably reduced to molecules inside the aura. And that his second missile launcher had melted during Garon's pass, rendered useless.

_Can I defeat this thing yet? Damn! If only I could reach the level of power I had achieved while using the mother elf a century ago. Focus Axl, you can't die here. But this Garon is full of tricks AND raw power. Just who is this geezer? You have only one option left now. It will probably mop the floor with this robot. It might also fry your copy chip, your control chip and outrightly kill you anyway, but what do you have to lose? Now I just have to choose between the two data. One more lethal than the other. Well, changing armors is slower for me, so I choose..._

Axl started changing once more, but this time the flash started becoming stronger and stronger, filling the chamber with light. When a new figure stepped forth, everybody sentient gasped. For Axl's new form was two heads taller than his original. For a huge ponytail, seemingly made of flowing gold adorned his head. For his armor was a deep, ominous crimson. For his helm was pointed and his eyes blue. And for, most importantly, a green energy blade danced furiously in his hand, as though having a will of its own.

"Shall we end this?", he asked in a voice much harsher than his own, although his challenge was wasted on Garon, that simply attacked as before.

* * *

Zero slashed repeatedly at the heavily reinforced door, but only caused minimal damage. "This will take some time", he said sighing. Apparently, the door leading to where the shield generator resided was quite resilient.

"We can keep them as you try, Zero", said Colbor shrugging. "None of the rest of us can so much as put a dent on it, but this tower is easily defendable from the inside."

_**This will take forever...**_

Zero jumped on the spot as he again heard a voice in his head like before.

_Who are you?_, he inquired mentally, although he hardly expected a reply.

And yet a reply he got. **_Me? No one important..._**

Before Zero could conjure a fitting profanity in his mind, he heard Isis's voice drawing him back to reality.

"Hey, what are these funny-looking things?"

Said funny-looking things were concealed by an extremely dusty cover, that when removed, it revealed two identical, sphere-like metal contraptions, each a meter high and featuring low stands to keep them from rolling. They both had a complex control pad on their top.

At first nobody recognized what they saw, but then Siri spoke hesitantly. "I think I have seen...I mean read about such things before. They are old technology, developed shortly before the last maverick war. "

**_I'll be damned! Gravity bombs!_**

Zero frowned a bit at the rogue voice, but ignored it as a problem for another time and place.

"They must be gravity bombs", continued Siri. "Really powerful weapon and dangerous. I'm surprised there are any left."

"Can we use them? And will they do us any good?", asked Colbor, a hint of hope in his voice.

Siri sighed. "We can use them without being killed if we are far enough and they can definitely blow these doors- and what is behind for the matter. But I don't know how to activate them", she finished.

"Cool! Mass destruction weapons in our hands!", bellowed Isis.

"Isis! For the love of Light!", countered Siri enraged. "Mass destruction is nothing to become happy about.""

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

- - -

Zero almost smiled at the continued banter, but the voice in his head spoke again.

**_They do that a lot, don't they?_**

_Yes they do. And be quiet, whoever you are. We can't detonate these things so I must think of something else._

_**I know how they work...**_

Zero did not answer immediately, debating whether he was just hearing things, a side-effect of his hibernation, or could really trust that new presence.

**_Nah, you aren't going insane. At least not more than you already are. And I truly know how to work those things. You will just have to follow my instructions. _**

Zero thought about it long and hard, assessing his options but liking none. Trusting a 'deus ex' in his mind and blowing the place up, or trying to hack his way through a really hard door for hours, perhaps days, he could not afford.

_Not a wide array of choices in my book,_ he though, sighing mentally.

**_True, but the first means direct action, while the second will leave you with abundant time to start doubting yourself, while enemies sneak behind you._ **

Zero closed his eyes for a second, and opened them again, this time determined. "I know how to detonate them", he declared loudly enough for the two elves and everybody else around to stop talking and turn to regard him.

He then ignored the torrent of questions and explained his plan. At the end, everybody nodded grimly. A dangerous and somewhat crude attempt, but it would be their best bet for escaping.

_And perhaps even accomplishing this blasted mission,_ thought Colbor, although that possibility still seemed far away.

* * *

I took my time writing this, but it's a busy season... I hope you'll like it. As for any questions, you'll have to wait for the next chapter. Aren't I evil? Seriously, I feel this mission, the first I added, has become too large. But I hope that in the next chapter it WILL end... Anyway, on to review answers:

**To isis2k2: **I hope Zero's rescue was good enough. The action's peak is in the next chapter;-) Things will go boom in next chapter XD I try very hard to make the Zero-Ciel relationship natural, but of course, I suck at romance... Just wait until Leviathan is added in the mix... I don't know if I'll do all second battles, but I will definitely do the second guardian ones. Phantom must die and get freed from Copy X's brainwashing XD. No, it's not the Boomer Kuwanger tower. That one had no barracks... Yes, I like mysteries. And hiding in plain sight is even better.

**To Zidet: **And I give you a 09 out of 10 for that dance XD Of course Zero is scary. He was built to be scary!

**To MAD-MAN: **I hope this chapter was interesting enough to compensate for last time's cliffies. As for THIS chapter's cliffies, we'll see... That rule, IF it is one, is too stupid to be followed. We are here for fun, after all...

**To PhiloWorm: **Next in the pointless sub-sub-story, the attack of illegally cute plushies. Think about that... Zero isn't strong enough to slaughter an army. YET. You'll have to wait until Fefnir's mission. Also, know that we will be seeing Elpizo A LOT from now on. Now that I played translated MMZ4, I know better what must be done.

**To Ri2: **If that chapter does not answer your question, nothing will XD. Yep, it's him alright. What's left anyway. It is my belief Elpizo is one of the strongest Resistance fighters even without a baby elf. On par with almost all my Ocs. And with one baby elf, he is currently almost as strong as Zero. But not for long, megaman factor and whatnot XD.

**To MyGBAcanTalk: **well,I couldn't devote a whole chapter for my teleportation theory like RA 101 did, but I hope nobody else had thought what I wrote. The egg dream was a one-shot inside a story really. I might write more of those to stall for time as I did back then.

**To Dawn: **Welcome! It might have been a slow update, but I hope action compensates XD And there will be more in the next chapter too. Add Axl fighting as Zero and you have double Zero action;-D

**To Shadow Enigma: **And it's again three cliffhangers! One with Z, one with Axl and the Elpizo one I left for next time. Our 'favourite' pink-clad reploid won't be dying for a long time and you know it;-D  
As for your story, you have proved you can write great action and I again recommend your work for other to read. You heard me everyone!

Anyway, until next time, where Axl goes Zero, Zero goes flying again with company and Elpizo steadily goes insane as the story demands XD. Read and review!


	21. Counting heads and bodies

Don't worry, people, I might sometimes take my time, but I won't be quitting that easily. Though I do have an idea about a prequel placed in the X series for sometime in the future... Anyway, on to chapter twenty-one, where Axl fights like Zero and the two warring fractions lick their wounds and count their losses. Also known as...

* * *

Chapter 21: Counting heads and bodies

Tone was the first to regain his speech function, for whatever good that could make him. "What do you think you are doing, Axl? You know very well you can't control this form. It might very well consume you!"

Axl, now occupying an almost exact copy of Zero's old body, turned to the two brothers and smirked, much like Zero used to do before pulling one of his usual suicidal stunts. "I can keep it working for some time. In fact, I have exactly twenty seconds starting from... NOW" he bellowed while removing his Z-saber from its sheathe.

Garon, oblivious to the change of guard, sped towards Axl, still flying and still shrouded in fierce flames. Axl made no attempt to dodge, air-dashing straight ahead towards the resilient robot. And just before the seemingly inevitable collision, he stopped for the briefest moment.

"RAIKOUSEN!" he bellowed, moving his saber, which assumed a blazing purple hue, behind his back and then vanishing from sight. Only to reappear just behind Garon, a line of electrical energy connecting the two points and feeding the robot with millions of volts.

Try as it may, Garon remained stunned, retaining its flight but losing its fiery aura, many of its circuits apparently affected, although it was far from finished. Needless to say, Axl would give no quarters, forming his buster on his right hand, releasing two hyper-charged energy shots followed by a searing bow of crescent light emitted from his sword. The tri-attack hit a paralyzed Garon head on, blasting part of its armor and revealing some of its inner workings. The robot recovered almost immediately and went for an attack, but Axl would not subside, his time limited. His saber vanishing in favor of a pair of energy gauntlets, he short-warped below Garon.

"SHOURYUUKEN!" he boomed, as he left the ground, his body a tornado of icy mist, his fist striking at Garon, forcing him upwards and encasing him in a prison made of hardened ice. Reaching the peak of his leap, Axl double then triple jumped, making it to the ceiling before the inbound robot, his saber appearing once again. Hanging from the ceiling for only an eye's blink, he shot back downwards, his blade turning from energy to matter.

"RAKUKOJIN!" he roared again, striking the still ascending icicle with a huge metal sword and shattering it, shards of solidified water filling the chamber, some embedding deep into the rune-engraved walls, others just falling. Garon hit the ground violently, Axl leaping away just before the collision, then it bounced back upwards.

A black field extended from Axl's body as he used Dark Hold, stopping the robot in middair, trapped inside the stasis field. He then leaped upwards, a second blade appearing in his other hand as he reached Garon's height. Using an improved Twin Dream, he produced an identical to him image at the other side of the trapped robot and then proceeded to furiously slash forward with four sabers. Still in midair and blatantly ignoring gravity, he double-jumped again while his image vanished, then came downwards, his foot leading the way shrouded in flames.

The kick forced Garon out of time stasis and back downwards, but before he could hit the floor, Axl appeared beneath him. Striking the floor with his bare fist and shrieking "TENSHOUHA", he released a luminous and ridiculously wide laser beam that shot upwards, engulfing the droid and continuing to open a wide hole through the ceiling and all stories above it.

While Garon fell to the far side of the room, Axl landed next to Tone and Pulse's cells, struggling to keep his balance as his body's systems went haywire, filling his mind with hundreds of warnings and error reports.

"Quite a show, don't you agree?" he managed to say as his blade slashed twice, cutting through the cell bars like it would through butter, the brothers leaping out just before the flow-metal repaired itself again.

"You must release this form before... " started Pulse quite concerned but then stopped cold, his eyes growing wide, his finger pointing behind Axl.

The black tiger turned red demon made an about face and gawked too. While Garon was heavily damaged, it had still retained enough energy to change back to its 'solid' form and stand erect, although he still wouldn't be much of a threat, three of its arms severed and most of its armor reduced to particles.

The next thing Axl knew, was a red mist flooding his vision, somehow sharpening his senses but clouding his mind. "Will you just die already!", he bellowed with a voice that seemingly shook the very chamber. He then felt his copied body moving on its own accord as he lost his senses.

* * *

"I believe it is time for my departure sir" said the humanlike reploid, bowing in acknowledgement of his master's entrance.

"Indeed", replied the master in question. "Now that there is another vacant seat in the Neo-Arcadian council, it is time to make your move. You are the last of the eight. The other seven are already in place."

The reploid closed his pink eyes for a second, passing a hand through his white hair. "I must confess I feel uneasy about leaving your side, master, but it will not be for long."

The other person in the room let a dry chuckle. "Correct, my loyal servant. I have at long last managed to access the Ark's systems. The best I could do was to force a crash landing in a few years from now, when the celestial occurrence is favorable. The... contents are hardy enough to ignore the damage of such a landing."

"Then I guess it is time for my memory swap, master" said the reploid sighing.

"This is an essential step of the plan. Nobody, not even you eight, must know of your true origin. I have fabricated your past accordingly. Now we only have to adjust your memory to your fake record and lock your battle form. Should I need you to perform any specific tasks, it would only take some subliminal commands to do so."

As on cue, a stasis capsule, attached on complex machinery, ascended from the room's center, opening to accept the reploid.

"Until we meet again, lord Weil", said the reploid, entering the gaping capsule.

"Indeed, Hellbat Schilt. Until you awaken to your true nature once again."

* * *

"So, not only did you get to stay behind, you also screwed the whole thing up!"

"Shut up, Fefnir"

The two reploids were waiting in the room next to Neo-Arcadia's high council chamber, Fefnir pacing back and forth, his armor hastily cleaned from the recent battle, many persistent stains remaining, Leviathan wearily reclining on a couch and trying to fight back the memento of her recent cyber combat with Ciel, a searing headache she could barely bare. Needless to say, their spirits were less than soaring despite their luxurious surroundings.

"And not only did I get the job done. Not only did I have to travel to freaking North Pole to do so. I also had to suffer Anubis' sexual harassment to boot!" continued the red general unfazed.

Leviathan managed a feint smirk. "She won't give up, will she? She has to be really desperate."

"You tell me!" replied Fefnir, not really mad with the blue guardian, just pissed off in general. But then turned to Leviathan rabidly, his brows narrowed. "What do you mean desperate? Are you hinting at anything?"

"No, not at all", retaliated Leviathan too fast to sound natural, deploying the most innocent poker face she could muster at her state. "Although you should give her at least one chance for trying that hard."

"Spare me, Fairy" said Fefnir somewhat lamely. "Anubis would be great company, but the Pharaoh jackal motif freaks me out. If she were a bit prettier..."

"...she wouldn't even turn to look at you" muttered Leviathan, looking the other way when Fefnir turned to regard her, not sure what she has just said.

"You two better use up that childish attitude before we attend to the council", said the newcomer, entering the waiting chamber at the same time.

Both Fefnir and Leviathan turned to regard the first guardian, the red guardian gawking at his spotlessly clean armor.

"How did you remove that mess from your armor that fast, Sage?" he asked incredulously. "We returned in the trans room at almost the same time and you looked as if walking out of a slaughterhouse!"

"Pretty boy knows how to do his laundry", said Leviathan chuckling, then regretting it as it worsened her condition.

"So, why do we have to report directly to the council? Master X usually settles for a private meeting and it's not like the council has much more than ornamental value anyway" said Fefnir with hardly concealed contempt. "Not that I have anything personal with the guys and gals themselves, mind you. Kelverian is quite cool and Inarabitta is funny. Don't tell her I said so, though."

Harpuia shook his head. "It's not that simple, Fefnir. Eight years ago, just before Ciel left, there were no reploids left in the council. But after that, more and more chairs were filled by reploids. Seven out of fifteen seats of the council are now occupied by reploids. And they seem to have gained power, too."

"I hope you don't question master X's actions, first guardian Harpuia. Infidels who do so are prone to unluckiness."

The voice that echoed through the chamber was low and calm but menacing, its source nowhere to be seen. Fefnir and Leviathan jumped on the spot, but Harpuia maintained his apparent indifference. "I would never dream of betraying master X, rightful founder and leader of Neo-Arcadia, Phantom. Though I would appreciate you keeping your 'advises' to yourself" he said, very calmly.

Phantom appeared just in front of the jade guardian, his mask hiding everything except his emotionless but piercing eyes. The two stared at each other for some seconds, hostility thick in the air, then the ebony guardian broke contact and walked to the other side of the room. During the exchange, both Fefnir and Leviathan stayed silent, their eyes downcast.

Seconds later, Copy X himself entered the room, dressed in exquisite blue and golden robes, nodding to the four guardians and motioning them to follow. He then boldly strode towards the double doors at the end of the room, entering the amphitheater that hosted Neo-Arcadia's high council. The chamber was oval-shaped, surrounded by elegantly carved marble pillars, extravagant tapestries adorning the walls and a thick blue carpet full with an intricate golden 'X' covering the floor. Directly after the doors, there was a corridor extending to a spherical area and reserved for any guests that might need to address the council. To the left and right of that area, two high and wide platforms rose, the left featuring seven seats, the right eight. All of them except for one were occupied by fourteen counselors, who rose in unison as the copy of X and the four guardians entered, every sound reduced to absolute silence. In the area in front of the circle, a much higher platform loomed, marble stairs leading to four seats and a throne, reserved for the five newcomers. As soon as the five highest ranking Neo-Arcadians occupied their seats, everybody else sat down once again, all waiting for Copy X to speak.

"Honorable council of Arcadia reborn", started the copy. "Regardless of today's events, we have prevailed. Our mighty and proud capital still stands tall, mocking the terrorists that call themselves 'the Resistance' from our highest perch." The triumph filling his visage was soon replaced by anger and determination. "However, although we have been victorious, this amassed attack has considerably weakened us. As servants of this glorious nation, it is our outmost duty to consider all reports of this shameless attack, absorb the information and unveil our shortcomings, so that in the next occasion something like this threatens our hard won peace, we will be prepared to crash them swiftly, efficiently and utterly" he continued, smashing his fist on the desk before him to capitalize his point.

He then noticed one of the councilor's seat was illuminated, indicating somebody was requesting to speak. "Yes, councilor Cubit", he addressed her nodding.

The speaker, a reploid, rose from her seat, her white locks surrounding her stunning face and disarming, foxlike smile. "Master X", she started bowing. "I have the honor to announce that we have elected the replacement for late councilor Xiang. He is currently expecting your permission to enter the chamber and fill the fifteenth seat of the council."

"Very well", replied Copy X. "He may proceed." As on cue, the doors opened again and a tall reploid, dressed in his station's white and golden robes, stepped in.

"My name is Hellbat Schilt", he started, bowing towards Copy X, his speech sounding elegant and refined. "I have the honor of asking your consent to occupy the vacant seat of this proud council of Arcadia reborn."

"Sounds like a complete snob", muttered Fefnir to Leviathan, who giggled silently, attracting a couple of fleeting glances.

Copy X frowned a bit at the reploid before him, but then let a sigh and nodded again. "We welcome you, Hellbat and hope you will be of help during these demanding times."

The reploid bowed again and filled the empty seat, smiling to anybody glancing at him. Then Copy X requested that everybody focuses on the reports and the council resumed.

* * *

The great chamber was only occupied by two diminutive and similar looking reploids that would seem perfectly unremarkable to practically everyone. One of them was intently concentrated on one of the screens before him, while the other was furiously pacing back and forth.

"Case, can you please stand still for a while? Pretty please?" said one of them at long last.

"It has been an hour! A full hour since we lost contact with Axl, Tone and Pulse! I can feel it, Font. I know something went wrong."

"We are all worried, but you should really rest a bit, Case", said a gentle elderly voice coming from speakers. "We must be patient."

"That's easy to say, Dr. Light, but..."

"I detect t-two abnormal energy signatures!" declared Font, clearly exited. "One is from a Neo-Arcadian base far from here. A violent gravity disturbance. It must have been... Oh, my god, it's a gravity bomb!"

"What about the other?" asked Case urgently, rushing next to his brother.

"The other comes from where our friends disappeared! I can't make heads or tails of it, but it's intense and the energy is building constantly. They must be inside a really advanced cloak field, but nothing can conceal such output! It's been going for almost twenty seconds and..."

At that moment, the screen went black, then the terminal rebooted. "It overloaded the sensors" muttered Case, gawking in disbelief, but nobody had time to comment, as the teleportation pad activated, three figures appearing on it.

Tone and Pulse seemed unharmed, panting but otherwise intact, but Axl, unconscious and in Pulse's grasp, was an entirely different can of worms. The boyish-looking reploid was bruised and battered, trails of blood all over his ebony armor which was itself cracked in many spots. But even more unnerving was the color of his face, an unhealthy ashen-pale gray that would hint at nothing good regardless of the subject's race.

"Plug him on life support now!" screamed Pulse while Tone was already dashing. "He doesn't have much time!"

* * *

"I'm disappointed with all four of you" started Copy X, addressing his guardians. "Phantom, you should have kept one of the Mavericks alive for interrogation. Fefnir, while you were victorious, your unit sustained unacceptable losses. Harpuia, while nobody innocent was killed, you let many of the escaped prisoners ran away. And Leviathan" he continued slowly, critically. "I'm especially disappointed by your performance. Even if you had to face the notorious Dr. Ciel herself, I expected more from you. You had much better equipment to utilize but even then your mission was an almost complete failure."

Everybody remained silent at that, the azure guardian painfully biting at her lower lip but saying nothing.

"Anyway" continued Copy X, dismissing the whole subject. "There is still one report to be heard and we will hear it from the lips of eye-witnesses."

The doors opened once again and a small team of four reploids, accompanied by four pantheons, gingerly walked and stood in the middle of the amphitheater.

"Each of you may state name and rank" said Copy X calmly, locking eyes with all of them one at the time and frowning when the last one, a plain reploid with brown hair and eyes wearing the markings of a sniper, managed to keep his own against his master's red gaze.

The first one stepped forward, visibly trembling. "Model DS-542, Bernard. Rank: warrior. Private of the Jin'en army. Placed in the sixth Energy conversion and Storage plant, #13 garrison."

"Model FLI-876, Maximilian. Rank: junior researcher. Support staff of the Meikai army. In charge of general security in the sixth Energy conversion and Storage plant, branch #13", declared the second, this one appearing a lot calmer but still intimidated.

"Model YR-759, Zenier. Rank: junior sniper. Private of the Rekku army. . Placed in the sixth Energy conversion and Storage plant, #13 garrison", said the third, valiantly trying to keep his voice steady... and failing utterly.

"Model OZ-624, Michael. Rank: sniper. Private of the Rekku army. . Placed in the sixth Energy conversion and Storage plant, #13 garrison", said the last one, his voice completely calm and collected, remembering to bow slightly at end of his sentence.

"Very well" started Copy X, deceptively calm. "Would one of you fine gentlemen" he continued, his voice becoming louder and harsher "mind to explain to this council of Arcadia reborn what happened during your duty? Why the warehouse you were guarding was looted? Why the rest of the garrison is not before us? Why an army of pantheons, soldiers and mechaniloids simply vanished. And why, oh, why was a heavily fortified security tower reduced to cinders?" he finished, his voice booming in the chamber, his tone furious.

Nobody moved for a while, but then Michael stepped forward, somehow still calm. "I can try if I may, master X", he simply said.

"By all means", replied Copy X grinning, although his eyes remained cold, regarding the reploid below him like one would regard an interesting insect. "In your own words."

* * *

_Another glorious day in Megacity-3 was reaching its peak, the sun shinning brightly and only slight traces of colorful toxic clouds decorating the blue sky. Although Maverick attacks were always a harsh reality, the people had learned that periods of peace were precious and to be valued. The crowd of civilians, human and reploids alike, constantly filled the wide pedestrian lanes and the malls in the commercial area were filled to almost capacity. In such a sea of sounds and colors, few, if any, would pay attention to three youths in civilian grab._

_The first seemed like a girl in her teens with angelic face and long, blond hair. While taller and older-looking than her companions, her green eyes were wide open, regarding the world around her in wonder. The second, the apparent leader of the small group, resembled a much younger girl, her blond hair cut short in almost boyish fashion. She seemed to almost constantly tug along the third, somewhat unwilling, member of the team, a boy that seemed around her age, his fiery-orange hair somewhat spiky and reaching below his shoulders. _

"_I had slightly different plans for my day off, Palette" whined Axl, not really able to do much more._

"_Aw, come now, Axl, don't be a spoilsport! Me and Cinnamon really appreciate your company. Right Cinny?" countered the shorter girl, her mood disgustingly giddy. "And I bet X and Zero would appreciate you ungluing yourself off them for a while."_

"_Alright" said the redhead sighing. "But only because X is busy reading some Shakespeare dude and Zero has once again disappeared for some reason, just like he does this time every year._

"_Is he alright?" asked Cinnamon, her voice filled with sincere worry. "Last time I saw him, he was really moody."_

"_No need to worry yourselves" responded Palette. "He is always like that near the final weapon's destruction anniversary for some reason, but big crimson always comes on top of things. Now let's go shopping! Axl, how much weight can you carry exactly?"_

_The black hunter sighed but then he abruptly turned around as the all-familiar sound of something blowing up, accompanied by the merry screams of civilian distress, relieved him from the duty of answering. _

"_Thank God and Light for small favors" he muttered, then turned to his companions. "Stay here, I'll handle this."_

"_Be careful, Axl" said Cinnamon concerned. "Don't you want me to help?" she asked as Axl flashed, phasing out his cloths in favor of his armor._

"_If I need help I'll call, Cinny. For now, take care of Palette in case things get ugly and try to evacuate the place" he responded, already dashing towards the scene of action. _

_It took him mere seconds to find the source of the problem. It would be impossible to miss a seven-foot-tall rampant reploid, anyway. Instead of rushing, the black tiger stopped to measure his opponent. The reploid resembled a gorilla in shape and size, a teal jumpsuit covering most of his body, complemented by green light armor that protected his torso, legs and arms. He wore no helmet, but a menacing-looking cannon was strapped on his left shoulder. He was also in the process of tearing down the mall's ornate fountain._

"_Run feeble humans!" bellowed the beast. "Run or face death in the hands of the great Maverick overlord, Flush Gorilla!"_

_Axl cocked a brow at that, but then cursed for wasting time as a lone human rushed from behind a fresh pile of debris, trying to run away. The supposed maverick primed his cannon and let a thin beam... that somehow missed the would-be victim completely. Not having time to question his good luck, Axl reached for his comm as Flush Gorilla apparently thought it would be peachy to uproot a lamppost and use it as a club against anything breakable in his sights. _

"_This is hunter Axl, respond!"_

"_Alia here, what's the matter Axl?" came the response._

"_We have a minor Maverick situation here Alia. I want you to trace my co-ords and deploy a jam net."_

"_On it! Do you need backup?" replied the blond navigator in a very professional tone._

"_Nah, the guy seems a wuss, anyway. Axl out."_

_Up in the higher atmosphere a satellite turned one of its plates towards Axl's general direction and shot a continuous and invisible beam of energy that would temporary prevent teleportation in the immediate area. _

_Axl smiled as he heard a satisfying ping from his teleportation unit, signifying the successful deployment of the net, then strode boldly towards the much larger reploid without bothering to hide._

"_Run, yes, run or be slain and..." The beast ceased his rumbling abruptly and regarded Axl incredulously. "What are you doing here, kid? Get away before my awesome, frightening and utterly overpowering self vaporizes you" he then bellowed._

"_You are all talk and nothing more, big guy. Bring it on!" replied Axl calmly._

"_Do you not tremble before me, Flush Gorilla, Maverick supreme?" he asked in sincere confusion firing his cannon again, the shot landing not-quite-close the black hunter._

"_On the contrary" replied Axl with glee. "Since I'm an S rank Maverick Hunter, I look forward **flushing** you down the drain" he continued, materializing both pistols. _

_At that, the larger reploid lost his composure, his jaw hanging slack, his voice an octave higher. "A M-ma-maverick h-hunter? S r-rank?" he stuttered terrified. "How d-did you g-get here t-that fast?" he squealed, falling to his knees._

"_I was enjoying myself until you **flushed** my day off, buster. And now I get to kick your Maverick supreme butt to Alpha Centauri for that." Axl could only smile as the beast practically wilted before him._

"_Mercy, your Majesty, can I call you 'your Majesty'? I lied! I'm no Maverick! I have never harmed a human! My weapon is just for show. Please you have to believe me, I beg you! For the sake of my twenty orphan children and my orange cat"_

_What Axl really heard, was a suicidally fast and incoherent string of messed up sentences. As soon as he properly decoded the meaning, it was his time to regard his opponent incredulously, suppressing a well-deserved chuckle at the blatantly obvious lie. _

"_If you are no Maverick, then what in the nine hells do you think you are doing?" he roared._

"_J-just covering u-up my p-pals" whined Flush._

_As on cue, two masked figures shot out of a jewelry store, each holding a small bag. Humans, Axl noticed._

"_We got it, Flush, now let's get out of here. Before the law comes... Why the hell can't I wrap."_

"_G-g-guys", stuttered the reploid pointing at Axl. "T-t-trouble", he finished._

"_What's with the kid, Flush? Has your act gone bad or something? Let's move!"_

_Axl remained silent, half stunned, half amused, as the reploid clasped one of his friends from the shoulders, obviously quite painfully, and started shaking him panicked, lifting him off the ground. "A Ma-ma-maverick hunter Ted. We're d-doomed!"_

_The shaken crook easily lost his balance and collapsed on the ground in dizziness, while the gorilla gasped. "Nooo! Ted, tell me you are alive! I can't become a maverick!" he wailed._

_The other robber smacked his not-so-sharp friend, wincing in pain and clasping his hand directly afterwards. "Damn you, Flush, get a hold on yourself, man! You just knocked him out cold. You are no freaking Maverick. Now let's get out! The hunters don't hunt us!"_

_Flush calmed down and nodded, picking up Ted and trying to run away, closely followed by his other companion, but a single shot from Axl passing before him and scorching the wall beside him made him stop abruptly, the second crook bumping in him hard and collapsing backwards._

"_OW, OW, damn you again Flush!" he wailed clasping his now-bleeding nose._

_Flush turned around, his face becoming white as paper when he saw the red liquid. Letting go of Ted rather harshly, he kneeled next to his second companion. "I can't stand blood!" he said horrified. "Are you alive, Matt?"_

_Matt smacked him again swearing, then swore some more holding his twice-sore hand between his legs in pain. "What's your problem?" He asked Axl, meaning to sound threatening, although the result was quite lame. "You are supposed to only hunt Mavs!"_

"_Well" responded Axl, twirling a gun around his finger and smiling widely. "On days off, I extend to hopeless wannabe crooks as well" he finished as regular policemen rushed inside the mall._

- - -

"Will he be alright, doc?" asked Tone, his words reflecting everybody's concern. The black tiger was currently resting inside a capsule, his armor removed and being repaired nearby.

The hologram of the good doctor sighed, closing his eyes. "As long as we keep him on life support, there is no immediate danger. However, he is currently in a coma. His body is struggling to repair itself and not faring good. I still can't figure most of how his copy chip works and that's where the most damage was sustained. The thing is embedded in his neural network so removing it for further analyzing might as well outrightly kill him."

"But you are practically the father of reploids, doc" noted Case, still staring at Axl. "How can you not know?"

The voice now sounded quite depressed. "Not really, Case. I... I don't have all of the original dr. Light's memories and knowledge. When I was... created, he was almost dead with only seconds to spare. A human with a hole in his abdomen is as good as dead. And anyway, Axl's copy chip is of unique design. Nobody has managed to duplicate it accurately."

"So there is nothing we can do for him?" asked Font disappointed.

"I never said that" replied the hologram, smiling faintly. "But I want to hear the rest of the story. Time is all we have right now and Axl seems to be entering dream cycle after dream cycle."

"Not much more to tell, doc. Nothing that we could see, anyway" replied Tone. "After we saw what remained of that robot rising again, Axl let out a furious roar and did something to his buster. I'm not sure what because I could only see his back. He then presumably let a shot and everything went white. I'm not even sure if I blanked out for a while. Next thing we know, Axl is back to his original form and lying like that, the only thing remaining of Garon is dust and there is a ridiculously huge hole on the wall it stood before. And going through all subsequent ones behind it as well, all the way out."

He stopped for dramatic intend, then resumed the story. "Needless to say, we know a chance when we see one. Pulse scooped Axl and we made a run for it. Whoever that voice in the tower was, he was apparently too occupied laughing his head off for some reason. As soon as we got out, we just beamed here."

Pulse appeared thoughtful. "I think he said something else at the last moment" he said at length. "He said 'Tell Thomas, Albert said hi' or something like that. Know anyone named Thomas, doc?"

Dr. Thomas Light nodded gravely. "Unfortunately I do, Pulse" he answered, his voice haunted. "Unfortunately I do..."

- - -

The green metool stared at the gaping hole that was slowly disappearing in wonder. "I did not expect such power, master. The subject neutralized your Garon unit with relative ease."

The golden pillar was once again in the middle of the great chamber where battle raged mere hours ago, the holographic figure of an old, wily-looking man smiling. "A mere Garon unit is no big loss, Nephar. We have plenty more. But that battle was worth the trouble. What a sight it was. I really hope the kid's stunt won't kill him. He's irreplaceable, much like you are, and might fit great in my plans."

"I'm honored you would say that for me, master. This unit is not worthy of such praise" replied the metool, actual inflection coloring its voice.

"Don't worry, little one. You will soon be able to prove your value. Although I will miss your company. Until then, you might want to rest and recharge. As soon as the repairs are ready, we will barrow back underground. This location is not safe anymore, thanks to the kid's fireworks."

The green metool made a move with its hat that could pass for a bow. "Have a nice day, master Wily" it said, dashing towards the rooms exit afterwards.

* * *

_At 1500 hours and having fought to exhaustion against the mavericks, we decide to retreat as we were obviously outgunned. Since many other units came to join the battle, we went to protect the warehouse itself, trying to snipe any occasional enemy we could. Then we watched in dismay as the six mavericks started making short work of our allies. At that moment, a single reploid fell from the sky wearing a parachute. I must confess I was awestruck by his performance. He was practically a one-man-army, tearing through pantheon units and mechaniloids like they were weeds._

_Eventually, the mavericks seemed to be hard-pressed, especially when a unit of pantheon-floaters attacked. Against all odds they were shot down and then for some reason our floating platforms started malfunctioning one after the other. The mavericks retreated inside the tower soon afterwards, at 1530 hours, knowing our forces would not be able to break in easily, even if the platforms were repaired. Nonetheless, the remaining three quarters of the army tried to breach the main gate and were ineffectively slow._

_It took them until 1600 hours to reemerge and they did so quite hastily. I have to admit that what happened next shook me quite a bit. I never thought it was possible._

"I would wish you stopped foreshadowing and stalling. Just get to the point" ordered Copy X, quite agitated.

_As you wish, master X. We watched them incredulously as they jumped off the tower, holding what seemed to be a huge canvas. That allowed them to reach the ground safely enough. Of course, our army went to rush them, but the explosion happened._

_It seemed as if time stopped momentarily, then space itself seemed to distort violently around the tower's base, first bulging outwards then pulsing back inwards. The tower's lower part seemed to get sucked towards its center, along with most of our units unlucky enough to be around. It remained like that for some time, them violently exploded all together, totaling the tower and everything around in a large radius. The heat wave propelled the mavericks even further, towards our direction and threw as off our feet and back in the room._

_As soon as we recovered, the tower and the army had been reduced to scrap metal and the mavericks closed by towards our direction. We tried our best to shoot them down, but that particular red-armored one deflected all our shots until they reached the warehouse. Even though we have locked the safety doors, they plowed their way in and reached us soon afterwards. Of course, we tried to fight back, but they overwhelmed us and confiscated our weapons. _

Michael tried not to sweat at that point, neglecting to say he ordered his team to surrender after Zero's request. One look at his eyes had told him the day they would defeat him would be a snowy one in hell.

_Two of them kept their weapons trained at us while the rest activated the Transerver and started moving crate after crate filled with crystals on it, transing them away. At 1700 hours they had finished and tried to escape too. We promptly reached for our discarded weapons but they got away after retiring one of our sniper companions._

The truth was quite different and quite vindicating for all four reploids. As soon as they had surrendered their weapons Zero ordered them to get out of his sight. They had sheepishly complied, not believing their good luck, but then Ken, foolish Ken had decided to play the hero. He had pulled a concealed sidearm and had tried to shoot the red demon from behind the doorframe. Michael then had heard a whistling sound and had seen a green energy saber piercing the wall and Ken's head, killing him instantly. The red warrior that had presumably thrown the weapon then sighed.

"A waste" he had declared in what Michael had found to be sincere disappointment. The rest four reploids could only run as fast as their feet would take them, although Michael doubted their foes would pursue. They would have been dead if they had. The true version of the story, the Neo-Arcadian knew, would summarily label them as mavericks and get them killed for abandoning duty and not attacking foes of 'Arcadia reborn'.

"My thanks, OZ-624" replied Copy X after the sniper had finished. "We might need you four again in the near future. Until then, you will remain under state protection in proper chambers.

The four reploids bowed again and the pantheons escorted them out.

Another council seat was illuminated and Copy X nodded. "Yes, councilor Hellbat?"

The new councilor rose from his seat with elegant moves and bowed. "What should we do with these four military units, master X?" he inquired.

The copy of X did not bother to conceal a smile that was far from pleasant. "When this council has concluded the business at hand, we will occupy ourselves with their trial and execution details. Provided there is evidence of maverick status, of course" he added, although most in the room already knew how that would play out...

* * *

#Incoming transmission.

Message level: yellow

Encryption code: YKWYAD

Secondary encryption code: TDT-WOC

Message decoded...

_From Elisa  
To Dr. Ciel _

_23:00_

_Operation 'dusk' has been concluded from our part. All three missions our fourth branch attempted were met with success, although we suffered heavy casualties. Specifically, Zak, my second in command, went MIA during a transing accident I myself barely survived, while many others were lost in the other two missions. I will be unable to move for a while, due to 'internal component alteration' as Rocinolle said after trying to fix me up. We will send you the data as soon as we can establish a safer line and we have secured a vast quantity of energy and supplies as well. We also happened upon an unusual reploid that fought to save me and succeeded quite well. While the subject appears somewhat eccentric, he seems reliable and intelligent as well as a great fighter. I hope we will hear from you soon and that the rest of the operations went smoothly. Peace may prevail!_

Ciel sighed at the message displayed on her screen. Thinking about what Elisa went through made her feel even guiltier for fainting like she did while her presence was needed. Cerveau had actually done a great job, but she still felt she was shrinking her duty.

After she had regained her senses, she practically dashed to the control center despite Cerveau's demand to rest some more. And after she saw Zero returning with six reploids and myriads of energy crystals in tow, she was truly elated, although the red warrior only smiled faintly, then retreated to his room without even letting Cerveau or Ciel to examine him for wounds. He had said the rest were much worse for wear than he was, which seemed to be true. Still, the blond scientist was afraid what she had told him before he left for the rescue, ordering him unlike she would have ever done to any soldier before, might tarnish their already poorly-developed friendship.

"I must get to know him better" she muttered to no one in particular. "so that we can cooperate better, of course" she added hastily, wondering why her cheeks would suddenly feel warm.

She never noticed the cyber-elf spying on her from the ceiling. Siri regarded her thoughtfully, then sighed silently and smiled a sad smile.

Ciel took a big breath and reached for the microphone connected to all base's speakers. "Members of the Reploid Resistance Front" she started, her voice steady. "Operation 'dusk' is now considered concluded. Although we suffered casualties, twenty-two out of thirty operations were successful. Thus we have, against all odds, prevailed against the unjust rulers of Neo-Arcadia while making sure no innocents were harmed. I want to thank everybody that made all this come to fruition and peace may prevail."

* * *

A mainly narrative chapter barring the first scene, which I hope you liked. If you think it was a bit unfair, remember that Axl was desperate and that the DNA he used belonged to Zero after the elf wars, when he was much more powerful than in X8 or CM. Also, I FINALLY finished the first of my additional mission that were not in the game, although there are still some things to be resolved. The next chapter will possibly be quite slow, giving everybody some down-time... As for Weil's numbers, they were indeed part of some NA council from before Z1. When they are addressed, the first name will be the surname, fe, Cubit Foxtar's formal name will be Cubit. As for their names and genders, everybody seems to have their own opinions. For this story Foxtar and Inarabitta will be considered female and I will be using the names as seen in the game's English translation.

Also a statement before the review answers: Megaman legends ROCK!

**To PhiloWorm: **As for the last megaman, it might become another of my side-plots in the future... It can very well be him;-) Good luck is always welcome! The plushies were full of tsetse fly extracted sleeping powder... noodles? With white sauce and mushrooms XD

**To RandyPandy: **Just you... and everybody else;-) Weil basically ran a part of Neo-Arcadia from before Z1. Weil's numbers were actually in a Neo-Arcadian council as can be seen in the Japanese drama tracks. With CX MK2, he was actually running everything. After Zero pwned him in Z3, Weil became the ruler officially. Since that time, most humans thought the original X had always been there since Ciel made CX MK1...

**To Ri2:** Yes, it's Wily! I hope you liked the battle... um, more of a sortie actually... I don't think I'll include Roll. I firmly believe most of the classic mm staff had an unlucky encounter with a certain red demon... But Light and Wily had an 'apprentice' when they were working together. And I already wrote too much...

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** Zero's crazy? What else is new? Of course I'll make some spelling errors. For everyone who doesn't know it, I'm not even an English native speaker. I used to hate English some years back...

**To isis2k2: **I also love the guardian battles. You must see their EX skills from both Z1 and Z2... I made some research on the drama tracks and found some translations... I'll be incorporating what I can, although there are many I'll just ignore. Although the Physis album artwork poses many interesting questions about Z4 and afterwards... As in all Z games, without sub-tanks you'll have problems. Some bosses are lame, others really tough, like Craft... But I found it too small for some reason... Nope, haven't played X4 yet. In due time...

**To maverickhunter9:** Thank you for reviewing! Wow, you could actually stand to read the whole thing? Zero will get T. Rod in the next chapter, since Cerveau had time to analyze what's left of Maha's data. The S. Boomerang will come, as in the game, after the train mission... Which I'll delay quite a while...

**To Myhi: **You had me a bit worried, but you returned! The support cast will grow even more as time passes... Never heard of that novel, although the two names do have a connection...

Anyway, thank you for reading! I eagerly await your reviews, everybody! Don't be shy.


	22. Sparks of conflagration

Well, this chapter wasn't too late now, was it? Ok, it was but whatever... It seems my 20secs battle left some good impressions... Anyway, thank you for reviewing, as always and on to the next chapter, where a new leaf turns for everybody and the future seems obscure...

* * *

Chapter 22: sparks of conflagration

"Excuse me?"

No response came from the well-lit chamber, though he could hear the slight shuffling of feet from one of the side-chambers connected to the hall. Although he had spent his life in much more impressive surroundings, he couldn't help but gawk at the absolute absence of dust that dominated the medical bay. The walls were colored the purest of whites while every visible surface had been polished with extreme vigilance. Elpizo felt like he was invading an alien domain but then managed to collect his wits. Everybody else in the base had been exhilarated to see Commander Elisa returned to them and many had congratulated him vigorously.

"Um... Hello?"

This time, a groan came to compliment his voice, then a reploid entered the hall and regarded him critically. She was built to resemble a middle-aged female, her brown hair caught in a bun behind her head and the grab of a medic worn above her standard green Resistance uniform.

"Don't 'hello' me, young man" she started, her voice a perfect match for her features and sounding gruff. "I'm Rocinolle, head of the medical bay and infirmary and I appreciate when people don't barge in shouting like you did" she continued, scowling. "This place can get so noisy that in periods of calmness silence is precious. And the 'wipe feet' sign on the doorway is not for ornamental purposes" she added, indicating some hints of dirt left in Elpizo's wake. "You do know how to read, don't you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

The former Neo-Arcadian gulped under her gaze but soon regained a measure of his composure. "I came to see Commander Elisa" he said, steadying his voice. "I'm the one who saved her and brought her back" he added, expecting a favourable response.

Rocinolle's frown did diminish although it never disappeared. "I know who you are, young man. Your name's Elpizo, right? Well Elpizo, we are grateful you rescued poor Elisa but if you expect special treatment, you'll get none from me. There is a policy here about dirt" she added, indicating a bucket full of cleaning liquid and a mope. "Whoever brings it in, takes it out with interest."

Elpizo went to complain, but when the cleaning instrument's handle was shoved in his hands, he knew he would be fighting a hopeless battle...

* * *

"Fairy, are you inside?" he asked, knocking gently on the door leading to the blue guardian's quarters.

When no answer came, Harpuia sighed and inputted the door's override code, entering the room behind it. He then sighed again at the sight that greeted him. All four guardians had spacious quarters since the first day of their activation. Leviathan was not the sloppiest person he knew, but she surely qualified to be placed in his top-ten list. While the chamber was not exactly the chaos of clutter Fefnir's quarters demonstrated, many random objects were in blatantly wrong positions, causing the first guardian to wince, slightly blush then shake his head. In that order. But then the glittering shards of glass littering the floor caught his attention.

"She must be worse off than I thought if she has started breaking things like that" he muttered in resignation while walking further.

To say Neo-Arcadia's palace was impressive would have been the understatement of the century. The massive structure towered cleanly above the huge metropolis, resembling a huge upright cross. The guardians' living quarters were placed at the edge of one of the cross's 'arms' and featured wide balconies, residential areas visible as far as the atmosphere allowed.

At first, Harpuia thought the fourth guardian was absent, but after employing his sensors, he knew otherwise. Reaching the edge of the balcony, he peeked downwards. A sturdy vertical flagpole was embedded in the wall a bit lower from the terrace's floor, a Neo-Arcadian emblem proudly hanging from it. And lying on the pole with her legs crossed and her hands behind her head was the guardian in question. The jade warrior almost gasped at the precarious position, as a fall without flying capabilities would hardly leave evidence behind, even in a reploid's case. Surely enough the ground was barely visible from their perch.

If Leviathan had noticed Harpuia's presence she made no acknowledgement, so the first guardian spoke first, doing his best not to startle her in case she was oblivious to the world around her.

"Are you alright, Fairy?" he asked, his voice low, almost a whisper.

As no response came, he started again. "Fairy, are you..."

"Why would you presume otherwise, Sage" she interrupted him, her voice harsh. "It's not like my services are useful to our nation anyway" she added spitefully, her words dripping sarcasm.

Harpuia cringed at the tone and tried to conjure a proper response. "I'm sure master X never intended to dress you down like that. But we are all stressed because of the incidents and..."

"How long will you continue hiding behind your finger, Sage" she spat, turning her head upwards just enough to lock eyes with her fellow guardian. "Sprouting self-righteous talks, talking about these soldiers like they were fleas and finding flaws to everybody's performance. Sure, I screwed up against Ciel. But the rest of you..."

This time Harpuia felt anger amassing inside him for a reason he could not rightly pinpoint. "I won't be buying any, Fairy" he countered, trying to drive both Leviathan and his mind off the lingering subject. "I know what master X said affected you more than that. Stop the childish attempt to sound stoic and altruistic! I know you better than that!"

That must have hit a stroke, for almost immediately Leviathan jumped on her feet, uncunningly standing erect on the narrow flagpole and turning to regard the jade guardian critically, hands on hips, cyan eyes glaring and ignoring the abyss below her.

"Fine then!" she retorted childishly. "I can't hide from you. I'm pissed off. Enraged. What are you going to do about that?"

"But you do feel better now" responded the first guardian, pushing back a smirk at her sudden change of attitude. "Instead of skulking around, you are ready for a fight."

Leviathan, who had really been ready for a shouting match, lost a large part of her momentum. "It's just that I hate feeling useless" she muttered, her eyes downcast.

Harpuia frowned. "What do you mean 'useless'. Last time you sparred with Fefnir, you gave him a run for his money. And I can barely keep up with you" he said, but then gasped, as the azure guardian seemed to slip off her perch, falling to her doom. He went to catch her but stopped short as she effortlessly caught the flagpole with one hand and stayed there scowling at him.

"See?" she continued as if nothing had happened. "Despite your big words, you don't even trust me not to kill myself by accident" she said, her face between a smirk and a frown as she neatly leaped high in the air, somersaulting and landing on the pole again, then walking past a very startled jade guardian.

"I trust you with my life!" he managed to say at length.

Leviathan turned to regard him. "That's beside the point. Not everything is a battlefield. There are many types of trust. And you lost no chance to help a 'damsel in distress'." That last sentence she almost spat at his face.

Harpuia appeared crestfallen. "Gender has nothing to do with that" he complained, his tone somewhat condescending. "We both know you can defeat every single male or female soldier below us with ease."

The fourth guardian turned around to fully face her brother. "That's exactly what I mean" she started, but then shook her head dismissively. "Oh, forget about that. I know you came here for another reason as well. What do you wish 'general'?"

Harpuia ignored her mocking tone and cleared his throat. "The council will resume in an hour and our presence is required again. Also, your soldier, Maha, has returned."

That caught Leviathan's attention. "So, did he learn anything about that 'Zero' character?"

"Well..." he started hesitantly, but then stopped.

Leviathan rose a brow to his direction. Harpuia not knowing what to say was very unbecoming of him.

"... let's say he learned more than he bargained for. Only his backup unit came back intact. Zero apparently returned to retrieve the same data we want."

Leviathan's face lit with an intrigued expression. "So Zero defeated Maha even without his memory. That's... interesting" she added smiling.

"That's unsettling" countered the jade guardian. "Maha was stronger than Aztec Falcon and now we have to reassemble them both. And the mission was a failure. The lab's data came along with Maha's backup but it was hopelessly corrupted by a mystery virus. I also fear that Zero is becoming a great asset to the Resistance. And don't forget he had been present at the warehouse fiasco too. Directly after totaling your subordinate."

Leviathan dismissed his concerns with a hand motion. "You worry too much, Sage. He might be powerful but he is only one reploid. Enjoy his presence while it lasts."

Harpuia sighed at her nonchalant tone, but then another thought dominated his mind. "Fairy" he started at length. "How was Ciel?"

Leviathan examined his face carefully. "Which one, Sage? Ciel our half-sister or Ciel the renegade?"

The emerald general frowned at that. "They are the same person, Fairy. Stop playing with words."

The blue guardian let her smile widen. "Little Ciel has grown up a lot, Sage..."

* * *

#Initiating data log:

#Event: Critical and major wounds fully mended. Energy core levels optimal at 60 percent capacity. Energy replenishment recommended at convenience. No hostile units to draw energy from in range.

#Event: Repair systems upgraded to 45 percent efficiency. Resuming further body completion.

#Event: CUI chip detected unknown factors. Analyzing...

#CUI chip report: Enemy reploid unit blueprints analyzed. Upgrades embodied into DNA core as seen optimal. Effects:

Analyzing, calculating and mental capabilities upgraded.

Central neural network and sensory capabilities upgraded.

Sixth armor underlay under development resulting in general damage reduction. Percentage as yet unknown.

Unique software procedures from entity 'Maha' isolated and currently being evaluated for integration. Server connection protocols updating...

#CUI chip report: gravity manipulator and detonator schematics copied. Currently analyzing. Beneficial results (if any) as yet unknown.

#Event: Energy absorbing function upped. Efficiency at 10 percent.

#Event: maximum energy core capacity upgraded.

#Event: 'charged saber smash' technique mastered. Time between charges to be diminished gradually.

#Overview:

Relative potential body power level: infinite.

Relative possible body power level: 125K

Synchronization percentage: 10

Relative power level: 12500

#End log

* * *

Colbor groaned in pain, then scowled to Cerveau that had apparently jolted another pain receptor. "Be careful what you butcher with that scalpel, Cerv. I'm in a bit of an agony here" he complained.

The engineer sighed wearily. "Stop whining Colby. I have numbed your pain receptors as much as possible without knocking you out. Although that might just be a good idea" he said thoughtfully, reaching for a syringe, stopping and then going for a heavy hammer instead.

Colbor's eyes went wide and he instinctively went to jump off the medical table he was lying on despite his still busted leg. Cerveau grin reached his ears as he discarded the murderous tool, concentrating back on his work at hand.

"That's not funny!" pouted the commander mockingly.

"It serves you right for giving me twelve hours worth of repairs for your unit, commander Colby. Without the rest of my boys that would be a week. If not for Zero, you would have been seeing the daises upside down right now. In the best of cases" he replied critically, while his laser scalpel passed a final time above the former injury, sewing synthetic skin back together and only leaving a soon to fade scar behind.

Colbor's expression soured at the words but he nodded nonetheless. "I lost four people back there Cerv. And yes, Zero did save our bacon. Have you checked him already? He must have suffered a couple of nasty hits while bailing us out."

Colbor chuckled at that. "Our red wonder never stopped by, although I bet he's fine. The lucky bugger seems to have the mother of all repair systems in him. I swear I have seen his skin regenerating before my eyes" he replied helping Colbor to stand up. "How does it feel?"

The commander took some steps around then sighed. "You patched it up good, Cerv. Although it does feel a bit sore and a touch numb."

The mechanic rose a brow. "After spending so much time in here, one would think you would have learned. I replaced your muscle tissues and even had to mineral-reinforce the bone underneath. And don't get me started on your third rate circuitry. You **will** be sore for quite a while. As for the numbness, it will wear away along with the mammoth-killing painkillers I injected you to prevent scaring the rest of the patients."

"Har, har... How are the rest of my unit?"

Cerveau removed his visor for a second, polishing the lens, then proceeded to clean the mess left behind. "They'll live" he replied matter-of-factly. "Your three regular boys are in stasis right now. Their systems will take care of anything minor I missed. As for Bolthor and Bianka, they cleared this place some hours ago. The girl apparently lucked out. That stab barely missed her power core and was apparently an easy job to fix."

"They are good, Cerv. Not as good as Zero, mind you, but certainly stronger than I am. You should have seen Bolthor smiting pantheons with energy-laced punches or Bianka carving huge smiles on mechaniloids. I don't know what their story is, but I bet it's a darn interesting one" said the commander thoughtfully. He then went to leave the room but a silver cylinder on a shelf nearby demanded his attention.

"Is this a new toy, Cerv?" he asked as he picked it up. "What kind of weapon have you made this time?"

"Hands off" responded Cerveau, snatching back the cylinder. "That's for Zero. I just followed the extremely difficult and cryptic schematics in one of the files he brought back from that lab, combining them with some of my own designs, and ended up with this thing. Still, I had to improvise a lot and it's not as powerful as it could be. Blame the ancient and extinct parts it needed. I'm not even sure if it works."

Colbor proceeded to snatch the weapon back despite-or because- Cerveau's objection. "Let me test it" he said, hitting the ignition button. The contraption hummed but no other effect became apparent.

"Are you sure you assembled it correctly?" inquired Colbor raising a brow after they both became bored staring at the empty air.

Colbor scowled. "How should I know. Try to swing it and we'll see" he prompted annoyed. But then had to leap to the side as Colbor followed his suggestion and slashed forward as if he was wielding an axe. And from the hilt of the weapon extended a long, segmented and material rod that ended to a triangular energy tip ready to pierce anything at sight. Both Resistance members winced as the tip bite the wall hard, burying itself in, then retreating back to the hilt faster than their eyes could follow.

"Wow" breathed Colbor, staring at the now inactive weapon in awe. "Whoever designed this knew their stuff."

Cerveau scowled at that. "As I said, half of this design is mine. The only thing I can't completely understand is the energy blade. The energy weapon technology we have is much better than what it was in Zero's time. By all means, both his sword and this spearhead should have been inadequate against today's armors. Even pantheon armor should cause problems."

The Resistance commander smirked. "Well, Zero's saber sure fooled me" he retorted. "I know a thing or two about energy weapons and I'm sure that while my axe can cut through most of today's armors, it rarely does so cleanly. Zero's on the other hand easily continued to the next target soon-to-be ribbons. I wish I had a weapon like that."

The engineer nodded sagely. "Indeed, I can learn much from his weapons. We might even stop tagging behind Neo-Arcadia's tech teams. They always seem to have an edge in weaponry."

"You do that Cerv" replied Colbor, regarding the cylinder once more, then leaving it to its place and walking out.

"Be sure to get some rest" shouted Cerveau behind him, proceeding to study more of the data Zero had brought. "Brilliant" he found himself muttering again and again...

* * *

"We have voted, master X" declared Cubit Foxtar, rising from her seat and expecting Copy X to allow her to continue further.

"Go on, councilor Cubit" prompted the leader in question.

"After hearing every aspect of the story and weighting the facts, we have nine votes for and six against the subjects" she replied formally, bowing a bit then sitting back down.

Copy X frowned at that a bit, then turned to the guardians. "You may speak, first guardian Harpuia" he said at length.

The emerald general rose and bowed respectfully towards the council and then his leader. "Out of the eight votes we guardians possess, five go in favor of the subjects while three are against" he recited emotionlessly.

Copy X rose a brow at that. Since each guardian voted twice, one of them must have voted for both sides. He had a good guess who the one might be.

"So this adds up to fourteen non-guilty versus nine guilty" he said at length. "As for my votes, I feel the subjects are guilty beyond doubt. All ten of them go against."

Complete silence loomed in the chamber after the statement, everybody's eyes on the four reploids in the middle that, judging from their faces, were too dumbfounded or too frightened to complain. Leviathan sighed silently, some of the councilors following her example, others remaining stoic. As for Copy X, he barely kept a smile in check.

"In conclusion" started Harpuia after a while "and after reviewing the facts meticulously, the high council of Arcadia reborn has tried the four subjects and has found them guilty of maverick status and suspected of treason with nineteen votes out of thirty three. Therefore, they are to be kept in custody and escorted to the auxiliary rehabilitation center as soon as feasible, where they will be cured or, failing that, disabled" he finished, trying and succeeding to keep his tone devoid of inflection.

"And thus, this trial is behind us" started the copy of X. "We can now focus on the next..."

"You can't do that to me!"

Everybody froze at the desperate voice that had interrupted the ruler's words. Then everybody regarded the four reploids. The researcher and the warrior seemed shocked but had retained the presence of mind to remain silent. Michael was also silent, although his face was downcast and unreadable. But the fourth one, the one that had shouted, was visibly trembling, his artificial eyes starting to water as the reality of what he had just done crashed on him. Fear overriding rational thought, he broke out of the ring of pantheons surrounding the group and bolted for the exit, vainly trying to escape. He almost made it to the high portal when an enormous ball of energy, easily twice his height, fell on him and caused the world to become one of white light. When everybody's eyes readjusted, there was nothing at the place the unfortunate sniper had been standing apart from a very charred hole on the carpet and the floor below.

"This one was without hope of redemption."

Everybody turned to regard Copy X, clad in his white and golden angel armor with his buster still formed and pointing forward. Then his official robes returned and he simply sat down casually. "Let as continue with the next subject in our agenda" he proposed, mentally ordering the pantheons to escort the remaining and very docile three reploids out of the chamber.

Needless to say, everybody else in the chamber did his best to concentrate on the job at hand and ignore the sickening smell that lingered in the air.

* * *

"No, no, NO! I won't just tolerate all these stinking contraptions you want to stuff me in, blondy! I care nothing about your stupid research. I won't be becoming a guinea pig for yours truly."

Ciel sighed audibly. Ever since she first saw the two mysterious cyber-elves, she wanted to analyze them as thoroughly as possible. Apparently Isis had other ideas.

"Come now, Isis. Why must you be so negative?" asked the second cyber-elf, fluttering just behind the first.

"Negative? You dare call me negative Siri? You are the wet blanket around here. I refuse to be exposed to any and all idiotic prods anyone might think of. You want to help her so much? Feel free to do so to your heart's content!" replied the white fay, aura glowing furiously.

"Please Isis" begged Ciel. "Your data might be vital for the world's future. It is imperative to find an alternate energy source and you cyber-elves might hold the key" she said earnestly.

Isis responded with a quite audible, tiny raspberry.

"Why must you be so stubborn Isis?" groaned Siri with abandon. "Dr. Ciel only wants to help."

Isis sneered at her rainbow-lit companion. "Go kiss a million volt battery Siri. I'm not as naive as you to let any activist scientist wannabe to exploit me. In fact, I don't even know why in Light's name I'm still in this shabby hole you call laboratory" she spat. "I think I'll go pay a visit to Viny the cook. Dodging cleavers in fun" she finished, promptly turning away and ghosting through the ceiling.

Siri turned to the pink-clad girl sighing. "Don't worry Dr. Ciel. In time I will convince her to help. Until then I'm at your service" she said, now smiling.

Ciel smiled back. "Thank you so much, Siri. I can't force you to let me study you but your offer means a lot to me. You almost remind me of..." she started, stopping in mid-sentence as her voice and face fell.

"Of Passy, Dr. Ciel?" asked Siri solemnly, catching Ciel's attention. "We saw what happened back there", she added at length, answering the girl's unasked question. "We were not yet sure of your intentions so we just watched from inside the walls. Passy was very brave to do what she did."

Ciel smiled bitterly, fighting back unshed tears. "Many of you cyber-elves are so eager to sacrifice yourselves to help your owners. Of course, that's mostly true with manufactured cyber-elves, but still it seems wrong. Passy was first a birthday present but she then became so much more. Without her support I would have never..." she almost whispered, faltering in mid-sentence.

"It's alright" said Siri soothingly, landing on Ciel's head much like Passy used to. "She wouldn't want you to be sad after what she did."

The girl settled down a bit, nodding, then reached for one of her desk's drawers. From it she picked a worn frame filled with a photograph. A paper-printed one instead of holographic, Siri noticed, a real rarity. In the middle of it, a blue-clad reploid sat on a plain chair, his face holding a tranquil sadness but still smiling faintly. On his lap Siri recognized a much younger Ciel smiling blissfully, a pink cyber-elf on her shoulder and hugging her neck. On the right of the chair stood a very tall reploid with green hair, his expression serious but only barely so, and another one, a bit shorter with silver hair that was smiling widely, his black and golden grab standing out. On the other side of the picture stood two more reploids, a robust male with military-cut blond hair and dark complexion that was smiling like an idiot and a lithe female with light blue hair standing proudly and also smiling. The female's hand was behind the male's head, forming bunny-ears while the male was holding a piece of paper above the female that read 'five Zenny'.

"I miss these years" muttered Ciel sadly. "Things were much more simple back then. Now at least half of the people in the picture are dead or almost so" she continued.

_And perhaps I also belong to that category_, she thought gravely.

"Dr. Ciel, you must cherish these memories" said Siri thoughtfully. "Sometimes that's the only thing that keeps us pressing forward. That and the hope for the future" she added sadly.

This time Ciel closed her eyes but nodded smiling. "You are right, Siri. They wouldn't want me to be like that." She then turned to regard the multicolored cyber-elf, a new fire in her blue eyes. "You are very kind, Siri. You and Isis, despite what she says, have helped us all so much. Please just call me Ciel and..." she responded, hesitating for a while. "Will you be my friend?"

The cyber-elf's eyes grew wide at that. "You want me to..." she started, but then stopped as Ciel nodded. "I'd be happy to!" she responded cheerfully.

As on cue, somebody rapped gently on the door. "It's open" responded Ciel, her attention drawn away from the conversation. As the automated door opened, a very familiar figure walked in, fully armored and not the least uncomfortable.

"Good morning Zero!" started Siri, floating towards the hunter. "Isis and I woke up earlier than usual and we didn't want to disturb you."

Zero smiled faintly. "Hi Siri. Where is your evil fragment morning?" he asked.

The cyber-elf giggled. "That floating flare has gone off to pester Viny again. In fact" she added thoughtfully, regarding both Ciel and Zero "I think rescuing her dumb self is in order. See you later Zero, Ciel" she finished, phasing through the wall and towards the mess hall.

"Are you alright Zero?" inquired Ciel after an awkward period of silence. "Cerveau said you didn't visit him after yesterday's mission."

"No need to distract him from more serious cases" replied the red hunter neutrally. "It seems my repair systems are becoming more efficient each day."

"That's good to hear" she responded, but then stopped again, her eyes downcast.

Zero rose a brow at her strange behavior but remained silent, deciding it would be best to let her take her time.

Several uneasy moments later, Ciel gathered enough courage to talk. "I'm sorry about yesterday, Zero" she said at length.

The red warrior rose a second brow to compliment the first. "What are you sorry for?" he asked, mild curiosity evident.

_Curiosity is far better than the mockery you expected, stupid, _she reprimanded herself. "I'm sorry for trying to order you like I did" she clarified. "I... I should have believed in you more. I should have trusted you more." At these words, she managed to raise her eyes and lock her with his. She felt his piercing gaze, twin dark blue pits, and was virtually paralyzed by their intensity. _No wonder the toughest Mavericks of old would wilt before him, _she thought, trying to shake away the mesmerizing feeling. And then the spell was broken as Zero smiled and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Don't worry about that. I respect you for what you said and did back there."

Ciel's eyes grew wide at the comment. She squinted mentally in an attempt to find sarcasm in his words, sarcasm she expected, craved even. But there was nothing like that visible on Zero's face or tone, nothing at all apart from sincerity.

"You see" he clarified "I have seen how much you care for everybody here. They are more like your family than your soldiers. And yet, instead of sending more of them to their doom to try and save a few, you were able to think rationally. That was the right thing to do, the smartest thing to do with what resources you had."

Ciel closed her eyes and shook her head. "But you proved me wrong. Not only you saved most of them, you even brought back the crystals we needed."

"Exactly" exclaimed Zero critically. "You were wrong because you did not know what I could do and you had no way of knowing. And yet, luck more than skill got us out alive. By all means your decision was the best one."

"But.." she tried again, but Zero interrupted her.

"And not only did you coordinate a huge operation, devoting yourself to the point of collapse" he commented, causing Ciel to blush, "You also look back right as we speak, trying to find what you did wrong despite the whole operation qualifying as a success."

"So you are not upset?" she asked meekly. "I would understand if you wouldn't help us any more."

Zero shook his head sighing. "I will help if I'm needed" he responded. "My opinion of Neo-Arcadia drops lower by the second and besides, X is my only link to the past" he replied solemnly, his smile vanishing.

_I need to tell him about Copy X. It's as if I'm tricking him, _she thought. _But how will he take it? He might become really angry and he is really our last hope. I should be trusting him more, but..._ Frustrated with herself, Ciel tried to change the subject. "So, is you memory coming back to you?" she asked hopefully.

Zero sighed and looked downwards. "It's... difficult to say. I can feel old skills coming back along with tiny fragments of memory. I also remember some scenes but it's like they are shattered in pieces and taken out of context, effectively making no sense."

Ciel squinted, apparently thinking hard. "There might be a way to regain your memories" she stated at length. "I believe I can find a way, although it might take some time and..."

Zero rose his hand and stopped her cold. "From what I have heard about your research, finding a new energy source is vital. You can't let anything else distract you. You said that the war should end once the energy shortage is resolved.

Ciel went to argue but then stopped, closing her eyes again. "Thank you Zero. I can hardly believe you would be willing to sacrifice so much for... for the world. I promise I will do my best with both the substitute and your memories.

_But do I really want to get back what I lost? _Thought Zero sighing inwardly. _I know I don't want some of what I have seen..._

_**Wanting the easy way out, kid? I can't say I blame you too much...**_

Zero's eyes went wide. _You again! Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my head?_

_**Save that tone for someone who cares, buster. Besides, I have already saved your backside twice. I bet I could do it again.**_

_Whatever, just stay out of my mind._

_**As you wish, squire. But I have an advice for you. Learn to multitask. You are zoned out and your little human friend is starting to worry. What else is new, you'll say, but still...**_

"Zero, what's the matter?" asked Ciel concerned. "Another memory coming back?" she guessed.

The ruby hunter nodded, not really caring to reveal the foreign presence in his head to anyone. "It happens quite often, but usually when I need the particular memory" he clarified.

"I see" responded the girl, apparently accepting his claim at face value.

"So?" continued Zero. "Do you plan any other missions that need to be done?"

At that question, Ciel seemed to turn to a completely different person, focused and determined. "After the almost disastrous mission you helped resolve, I'm convinced we can't keep stealing energy crystals like that. I thought they would be adequate, along with what energy we can scourge from the failing thermal well below the base. But our numbers grow constantly. Even by distributing most new recruits to the Resistance branches, we need something new."

Zero appeared thoughtful. "From what little I remember, thermal wells were supposed to be a permanent source of energy. What is wrong with them?"

Ciel sighed. "It's really unfortunate. For the last century we chose to depend exclusively on magma veins. Nobody bothered to find something else, mainly because there were many other priorities. Eventually, we grew complacent. But the thermal wells depend on the magma veins that are relatively close to the surface. And most importantly, there must be no seismic activity in the area. Seeing that most such veins are close to volcanoes, we knew we would not be able to find many suitable sites."

"Still, the ones that were initially built were more than enough" commented Zero.

Ciel nodded in accordance. "We had more energy that we could possibly spend, but, eventually, the veins started cooling down. The magma started solidifying in the veins, making them thinner until they would eventually disappear altogether. Then some scientists started to panic and forced the government to build a thermal well on less than optimal ground. That happened fifteen years ago" she said shaking her head.

Zero caught the meaning. "It was a failure" he stated more than asked.

Ciel sighed heavily. "It was a disaster. Magma can be very dangerous if not treated correctly. Very volatile. Then an earthquake happened and they lost contact with the energy plant. In its place there is only a volcano left."

Zero winced at that. "So, the notion of building new wells was abandoned."

"We tried to optimise what we had, but we could only do that much. One by one, the thermal wells would be shut down, deemed as inefficient. This base was one of them. Thirty years ago, this well could sustain a quarter of Neo-Arcadia by its own. Now we can barely squeeze energy out of it."

"So there are many such abandoned, sub-optimal wells? If so, we could occupy one Neo-Arcadia thinks is useless" he said "Compared to their needs, ours are a nuisance."

Ciel looked at the hunter startled, feeling stupid she hadn't thought of that before. Then her face lit. "That's a wonderful idea Zero!" she exclaimed almost gleefully, clasping her hands together. "I will try to find one we can use immediately" she added, blushing at her outbreak and the subsequent smile on Zero's face, then turning to her terminal.

"She has the hots for him." The comment was softer than a whisper and only Siri could hear it, but she barely managed to hold back a gasp.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed at the white cyber-elf behind her. They were both just above the ceiling, seeing and hearing everything in the room below.

"What are YOU doing here?" echoed Isis mockingly. "Eavesdropping on them like that."

Siri looked downwards ashamed but said nothing.

"I can't say I blame you, though" she continued. "But in Light's name, she's got the hots for him..."

"Shut up" whispered Siri. "They can do as they like."

"You don't mind at all?" asked Isis inquisitively, smirking all the while.

"I'm happy for them if that's really the case" she answered meekly.

"Humph!" scowled Isis. "Suit yourself" she finished, disappearing altogether.

Siri ignored her and turned her gaze downwards again, only to jump at Ciel's cry.

"That's it!" she exclaimed, then proceeded to explain what she had found.

She never noticed that while she had been occupied, Zero's attention was caught by a certain framed photograph that rested forgotten nearby. Zero recognised Ciel and, most importantly, X. He also noticed the four guardians, getting an eerie feeling he would be seeing them soon. However, he refrained from asking Ciel about the memento, turning to listen to her rather interesting find instead...

* * *

The term 'under custody', when mentioned in the same sentence as 'mavericks' and 'guilty', apparently meant a very tiny, very dark and very empty cell, as Michael, Max and Bernard learned to their dismay. The three remaining Neo-Arcadians were escorted there by a small army of pantheons then watched as the reinforced door slammed shut, light only passing through a window from the dimly lit corridor. All in all, quite the deterioration in surroundings compared to the council hall.

As soon as they got over the initial shock, Bernard sat on the naked floor, head in hands, eyes down, Max started pacing back and forth, a difficult task considering the limited space, and Michael leaned against the wall, eyes closed.

_We have hit rock bottom then,_ thought the young sniper. Less than a day ago, he believed he had a solid view of the world he was part of. He was a soldier of the benevolent empire, the union under the rule of Neo-Arcadia, protector of humans and reploids and last bastion of civilisation. And his enemies were emotionless, bloodthirsty and irrational monsters, Mavericks that threatened the peace. But now, after given mercy by a supposed maverick, after being branded as one himself for no justifiable reason and after being sentenced to death, his views of the world lay in pieces. He had seen firsthand Copy X's rule and the way he exploited his power. Heck, he could still smell the charred, sickening odour of his former companion.

"We are going to die" muttered Bernard from his corner, his voice quivering in genuine horror.

"Put a lid on it" snarled Max, never stopping his pace, his face contorted from a foul mix of emotions.

The meek warrior let out a sob but then remained quiet, causing Michael to resume his thoughts. _There must be a way out of this mess, _his mind echoed in an attempt to keep him from despairing.

And then a commotion started close to their cell, forcing them to exit the personal hell their minds were in and pay attention to their surroundings. A clash of weapons, a few shouts, some minor explosions and then silence.

At least until their cell door burst open, and went flying disengaged from its hinges, narrowly missing Max that jumped aside and leaving a generous dent on the metal wall. A tall figure stood at the door's frame, almost blocking all light. His armor was black, adorned with purple lines and seemed extremely bulky and heavy, almost making him resemble a knight of the ancient times. Furthermore, countless razor-sharp jags filled its surface in a way that simple contact with it would more likely than not cost the toucher a couple of fingers. No part of him was free of black metal, not even his head, for his helmet covered all of his face, only leaving two tiny slots for his eyes. His right hand was balled in a fist and extended, seeing how he had just punch the door off its frame. And his left hand held a severed pantheon head, circuits still cackling and red eye flickering. With a sneer he clenched his fingers, crashing the thing then discarding it.

"Damn pests" he muttered, then turned to regard three very unnerved prisoners. "Say, any of you dumb losers knows how to fly a shuttle?"

* * *

Another chapter down and I hope you all like it. Not so rich in the action department, but I did write some crappy Ciel/Zero interaction and there is bound to be more. Please review as always and tell me what you think. And most of all, have fun! Also, for anybody celebrating Christmas, merry Christmas!

**To MAD-MAN: **Nice to see you are still reading. I hope you will sometime resume writing...

**To yamiangie: **Actually, this battle scene could happen in even less than 20secs, which is quite long if you sit and count it. The first code can be found by googling while the second cannot, being the acronym of a great book I recently read...

**To Ri2:** You only need to imagine an action scene with many Garon units fighting in a battlefield. I have thought of writing something like that in the future... If you thought that for Copy X before, I can't guess what you think now;-) I could give five solid reasons as to why Weil is not Wily, but that's not for here. As for Light and Wily in a reploid body, perhaps the technology was much bulkier back in 20XX than what Weil used and they can't just transfer their minds in new systems successfully. Also, both of them undergo a state of denial, having doubts whether they are just elaborate computer programs instead of persons.

**To PhiloWorm:** First of all, a cookie for the funniest review of the year;-) I have decided what 'pet' to give to Zero, but it's not animal-shaped. It will seem quite mundane at first and you have already seen it... As for armors, I want to stick to the games for now. Zero's armor changes shape seldom, although it does improve as you have seen in this chapter's log. That said, you will be seeing (reading) new effects rather than new shapes. A 'crystal armor' I have thought for him won't be appearing for a LONG time if at all. Perhaps you refer to Red Draco's 'Bass is not a fish'? A fine read that is... Yes, that dust was pretty potent (writes down effects for further experiments)...

**To ** **blupaladin42: **Welcome on board! I hope you like the Z/C development of this chapter, although it goes slowly, perhaps too slowly. And I don't really trust myself to write romance, but we will see... Protoman? Well, that's a bit hard although not completely impossible. But since there was no mention in the X series, we can assume the worst.

**To isis2k2: **Since Zero and X are 'megamen' their power level changes constantly. Think of RPGs without experience caps. That means that at any given time, any of them might be stronger than the other. Axl just used a copy of Zero 'DNA' at its best. It was just a simple, generic security tower spawned from the black pits of my mind;-D Seriously, I haven't based it on anything, at least consciously. It just happened...

**To Tazz: **Devoted readers make me happy! Welcome and I hope you will remain now that you reached me.

As you may know, review answers are now officially discouraged. You who said it was a myth, (even lashed at me) can now be laughed at freely, you know who you are. For the time being, I won't stop this practice because I feel the new 'reply' function is useless. However, there is a new mini-forum option, which appeals better to me. Of course, I'll wait until others try it to see if it's practical...

Anyway, have a nice time until next chapter, where we will learn about Zero's next mission!


	23. Arboreal sources

Hi peoples! I'm back with a new chapter! That's obvious, you'll say, so what, I'll answer. Anyway on to the main plate with this year's first chapter also know as:

* * *

Chapter 23: Arboreal sources

"Okay, you stupid buckets of bolts. I'm going for my daily... patrol. If anyone asks, I'll be back in a minute."

The two identical pantheon drones turned to fix their red eye on the reploid in question. All three of them were assigned to guard one on the minor gates that led from Neo-Arcadia's palace to the vast gardens and groves that buffered it from the rest of the metropolis.

"Acknowledged, unit REK-31-ls. Both of these pantheon units will remain as they are" replied the two droids in unison in a flat and mechanical voice.

"Yeah" continued the soldier as he turned to leave. "Thanks for being dumb enough not to do anything else" he laughed.

"You are welcome" retaliated the drones, again at the same time, their limited intellect inadequate to decipher what the departed soldier really meant.

A minute later, somebody peeked carefully from around a corner, sighing in relief at what he saw, then proceeded to exit the massive building, casually attempting to pass between the two X-droids.

"Please present ID" droned one of the drones while the other stepped to block the exit.

The reploid in question, dressed in low-ranking, official robes, his ebony hair in tousles, retrieved a blank card from one of his pockets and held it to the droid's height. Its singular eye flashed a few times, reading the data stored inside the otherwise plain item, never noticing just how nervous the reploid in question looked. Or that his other hand was wrapped around a concealed handbuster.

"Unit identified as FDS-66vi, designation Dante. You may pass. Have a nice day. Please request the renewal of your ID since some minor data are corrupted."

"Thank y...you" stuttered the reploid as the other drone walked back to its initial position, allowing him to pass.

"You are welcome" said the droid again.

The reploid walked ahead, willing himself to not start running. He was soon lost inside the cybernetic forest, one of the few that still housed some exclusively natural trees among the half-machine ones. As soon as he was out of sight, he broke into a fast jog, heading for the heart of the forest, a massively large variant of oak. He took a second to admire the inscription on a brass obelisk before the impressive specimen, one that had withstood a century without a single imperfection to tell the tale.

_In the memory of Pierrot.  
A mighty warrior and a shattered soul.  
You sacrificed the last you owned and offered us a future.   
You will always be remembered as the human that downed the horror.  
__May the world never need services such as yours again._

_ X, Z, A_

Sighing again, the reploid reached for his communicator unit. "Beam me up, Scotty" he chuckled, ridding his body of the last hints of stress. Seconds later, he disappeared from sight as he was teleported a few meters upwards.

As soon as he opened his green eyes, he was met with the scowl of a female reploid wearing normal operator headgear and leering at him with almost enough density to pierce the yellow visor covering her optical sensors. "That joke grew sour a year ago, Dante" she started critically. "Plus, it might reveal our location to anybody monitoring you. There are only that many ways to go 'up' when standing below a huge tree."

Dante dismissed the notion casually. "You worry too much, Nelly. Even if somebody found a way to monitor us here, they'd probably pay no attention to such an old quote" he countered.

The olive-haired operator sighed while smacking a hand on her forehead, obviously an act, since she was trying hard not to smirk. "Why do I even bother" she inquired somewhat lamely to no one in particular. "Trying to teach a goldfish quantum physics would probably be easier."

"Watch how you speak to your commander, woman!" bellowed Dante with a ridiculous amount of pompousness, also an act since it was his time to push back a laughing fit and he was doing a rather poor job at it.

"That reminds me, 'commander'. Our newest member arrived a while ago and she is still quite disorientated" stated a third voice coming from a male reploid that decided to raise his eyes from the job at hand. His ember-red hair was caught in a short ponytail kept together by a black headband and he was dressed in casual black attire. The desk he was working on was filled to its limit with a vast variety of mechanical parts and tools, all haphazardly and seemingly randomly piled.

"That's right, Jake" replied Dante. "Page her to come and find us" he continued, turning to Nelly.

A request via speakers and a few seconds later, a female, blond-haired reploid, donned in the casual Resistance uniform stepped in, saluting towards Dante. "My name is Joan, sir" she started. "I was just transferred from Resistance's fourth branch under commander Elisa. I excel at navigation and data manipulation" she declared formally.

Dante shook his head dismissively. "Listen Joan. I don't know what you were expecting, but this is a small, although essential branch. We have done away with most formalities a long time ago and I would wish you to do the same. Anyway, my name is Dante, commander of Resistance's fifty-fifth branch, also known as 'the rabid squirrels'" he said, smirking at Joan's dilated eyes.

"This is Nelly, our only operator up to now and the one you will be seeing most" he continued, the person in question bowing her head, "and Jake, our 'technomage' and second only to the great Cerveau. That's what he hopes, anyway" he added causing Jake to raise a brow but greet the new operator nonetheless.

"Nice to meet you" replied Joan absentmindedly, still having trouble to believe a supposedly high priority Resistance base was dominated by such lax an attitude.

"So, then" continued Dante. "Let me fill you about the basics. This outpost is build inside a mutated oak, the largest tree in Neo-Arcadia's region and one of the larger in the world. It can house up to twenty soldiers, although we are currently half that number. While we are really under the beast's nose, our activity is concealed by the cyber-forest around us. Our main duties include reconnaissance activities and sometimes getaway operations. Long range transing is forbidden for obvious reasons, unless the forest's activity passes the danger threshold, something that never happens more than once a month. That means we are as good as trapped here most of the time."

Joan nodded, trying to absorb the barrage of information. "But how do we spy on the enemy?" she asked after a while.

Nelly let out a chuckle and proceeded to clarify. "Although we do monitor some of their lines, we get most data by directly infiltrating the Neo-Arcadian Palace" she answered, quite amused by the predictable mask of disbelief on Joan's face. "Most of us are filed as low level, part-time officials of Neo-Arcadian bureaucracy. And the security measures at the gates between the palace and the garden are meagre. Nobody would ever imagine there is a base here. We have even learned which reploid guards skip duty and when it is their turn to guard. Our tweaked IDs always fool mere droids."

Joan nodded again. "So, what are my duties?" she asked at length.

"For now, take your time to familiarise yourself with your new home. We have already prepared your quarters" replied Dante, handing her an access card. "When you feel ready, come and talk to Nelly. There is usually nothing more elaborate than eavesdropping, calculating co-ordinates and writing reports."

Joan took the item, bowed and left the chamber, obviously more relaxed than before.

"She looks capable" commented Nelly, but then turned to glare at Dante. "Speaking of capability, did you manage to find the data?" she asked.

Dante's face grew serious if not a bit nervous. Without a word, he removed a tiny black box, no larger than his finger from a pocket and presented it to Nelly who gasped. "You where supposed to find the link info, not the freaking data themselves!" she bellowed. "What if they had searched you! There is unrest in one of the holding facilities and they might raise the security level at any time!"

"I know, I know!" retaliated Dante. "But these files were classified and kept off the network. And I waited for the guard that sneaks away and naps around this time! Anyway, play them so that we can see what I caught."

Nelly snorted but complied, snatching the storage device and inserting it in her terminal. Then all three occupants of the chamber turned their eyes on the large screen hanging on the wall, apparently watching the video feed captured by various security cameras.

Some time later, they gasped in unison. "Holy cow with a slingshot!" exclaimed Jake staring intently at the screen, a peculiar tool escaping his loosened grasp.

"Nelly?" started Dante, his voice somewhat disconnected. "Is there enough forest activity to cover our satellite emission?" he inquired.

The operator nodded, her face seriously unnerved.

"Good", continued Dante. "Send it to the Core as soon as possible. Dr. Ciel must see this."

* * *

The darkness of the corridor would occasionally be shred to pieces as the red security lights flickered to life, only to rise again seconds later. In the brief intervals of light, when shapes were visible, four dashing figures could be seen, making their way through the maze they were thrown into. All around them, malfunctioning speakers produced what seemed like the wail of a wild, wounded animal rather than a security alarm. The second of the running individuals increased his pace for a while, reached the first one, the larger of the four, and turning to regard him, he almost cringed at the painful to the eye mask that covered his face.

"Do you have any idea where we are going?" he asked, shouting to be heard above the cacophony around them.

The reploid he spoke to snorted and turned his masked face to regard his smaller companion. "I did not build the retarded place but I know the general direction we have to take to reach the closest hangar. Just shut up and make them tracks. I hope your friends can keep up because I sure like hell won't wait for them" he declared indicating the two reploids behind them that sounded quite exhausted. "I only need **you** to pilot a shuttle and although we messed with that power station they'll soon figure it out" he added.

Michael tried to determine if his rather rude companion was frowning, but he soon gave up, slowing down a bit to line up with Max and Bernard. "How are you guys?" he asked concerned.

"Happy to be out of that cell" replied Max frowning. "Although we're still in for a heck of a ride" he added, looking behind his shoulder for any potential threats. "I don't like how we have met hardly any resistance, sabotage or no sabotage."

"And you Bernard?" continued Michael.

"I'm fine" he huffed with a tone that indicated he was not. "But we'll have to stop soon for a break. We can't run all the way out of Neo-Arcadia."

"No stops!" bellowed the leading reploid, not even bothering to turn around.

"Dumb-ass", muttered the junior warrior low as not to be heard. "Do you think we can trust him?" he whispered to the sniper beside him.

Michael sighed. "No other choice" he offered. "He is the only one of us armed and seems to know where he's going. It's either that or back to the cell waiting to be executed."

"I still don't trust him" muttered Bernard annoyed. "Even if he thinks we can't stop..."

Before he could finish, he gasped as the larger reploid before them skidded to an abrupt stop. Michael managed to stop in time as did Max –barely- but he was so distracted, he noticed too late. Colliding with the painfully jagged back of their apparent guide was an experience he'd rather pass next time. While the owner of the armor remained unaffected, Bernard collapsed to the floor.

"Will you decide dammit! Are we to stop or not to stop!" he bellowed above the sound of the sirens. "What do you..." he tried to continue, but the rest came out muffled as a black gauntleted hand covered his mouth.

"Stuff it, chicken-wuss" hissed the warrior, indicating a large closed gate that loomed before them. "They are waiting for us behind that door" he continued only as loud enough as to be barely heard. "So unless you want to become buster fodder, I suggest you do as I say" he finished, his voice growing menacing towards the end.

* * *

Her eyes snapped open, an unuttered cry halfway up her gaping mouth. She tried to jump off the bed she was into but her limbs would not co-operate. She then remembered where she was and her body relaxed. Sighing, she ran a scan on her systems, frowning at the results. It was as if every single part, component and biological tissue was sporting light to moderate damage, although none of it was life-threatening. She soon realised that the only undamaged areas were brand new ones, recently replaced and still trying to adjust. With great effort, she reached for the side-table next to her bed, picking a datapad and quickly scanning the medical report saved in it.

_'In conclusion, subject Elisa has evaded danger at the last possible moment. Although many vital components had to be replaced, she seems to be recovering well. Unfortunately, the remaining damage is far too spread and general to be fixed by either repair capsules or surgery, unless we were to replace the components to their entirety. This means that the subject must allow her own internal repair systems to finish the job. That said, at least a week of rest and care is imperative. The subject will not be allowed out of the medical bay since that time. This means you, Elisa! I don't care if you are the commander or the Empress of whatever herself, you won't get past me!_

_Signed Rocinolle.'_

Elisa smiled at what she read. A week cooped up would be hard, but she knew better than trying to argue with the head of the medical facility. Replacing the report to its previous position, she opted to doze off again but a soft knock on the door woke her up for good.

"Come in" she responded, cringing at how foreign her voice sounded.

The door opened and a helmeted head peeked in. "Were you sleeping?" asked the figure at the door.

"No, no" she quickly responded. "Come in, I can really use some company..." she added, frowning for a second. "... Elpizo" she finished, satisfied to remember the name of said figure.

The former Neo-Arcadian also smiled, picking a chair and sitting next to Elisa's bed. "I see you are better, commander Elisa" he started. "You were really out of it when your comrades found us in the desert" he added.

Elisa sighed. "I can barely remember that last moments. Rocinolle said I was at my limit. You have met her, haven't you?"

Elpizo grimaced but then smiled again. "Yes, although I think she has something against me, commander."

Elisa found herself chuckling. "Let me guess, you had to mop her floor. Don't fret too much, she does that to everyone. But stop calling me commander. You of all people should simply call me Elisa. Do you realise I own you my life?"

The blonde found himself unnerved but managed to hide it well enough. "Well, I was running from Neo-Arcadia and you happened to... appear before me. I couldn't just leave you and these soldiers were too close."

"And you fought them off easily" added Elisa smirking. "I have rarely seen such swordsmanship before" she continued, detecting the other's uneasiness.

"I had a cyber-elf to help me and..." started Elpizo but stopped as he felt Elisa's hand wrapping around his own.

"Elpizo, would you like joining the Resistance? I can tell you will be very useful to us and, as you said, you have nowhere else to go. What do you think?"

This time, the pink-clad reploid anticipated the question. "I wanted to ask you... Elisa. I'll be glad to help you with anything I can" he declared calmly.

Elisa nodded satisfied. "Even if a cyber-elf helped you, you need skill to fight like that. We welcome you, Elpizo. I'll be sure to give you authority worthy of your skills" she said smiling, but then her face darkened. "Say" she started tentatively. "Have you heard anything of any reploids being found at the same time we were?"

Elpizo frowned a bit, trying to remember. "I heard three reploids, one of them suffering a laser wound, transed back to the base some time before we were found. Nothing about other rescued ones."

"I see" nodded Elisa, her face haunted. "Anyway" she continued, her smile returning. "Since I'm stuck here for at least a week, I want you to be visiting often. You have much to learn and the sooner the better. I have a feeling we will be working really closely" she finished, her smile widening as she noticed Elpizo's face assuming a light hint of red.

"Of course" he responded, mentally slapping himself for not finding anything better to say.

"Only I feel a bit drained right now" added Elisa at length. "In fact, I think I'll take a quick nap" she finished, her voice slurring at the end.

Elpizo remained perfectly still for many seconds, then realised Elisa was still clasping his hand tightly even while sleeping. Resigned, he settle back to his chair, alternatively staring at the sleeping commander and thinking about how his life had changed during the last days.

* * *

_The door sled open without warning and Copy X stepped in boldly, his extravagant robes neat as always. Behind him followed the four guardians, visibly refreshed and also donned in robes, although Phantom still retained his helmet._

_A sixth person entered the scene, apparently coming from further inside the room. His white lab coat was insufficient to hide his purple and golden armor underneath. "Master X! And the guardians!" he exclaimed joyfully. "To what do I own this pleasure?" he inquired, bowing slightly. _

"_Nice to see you, too, professor" replied Copy X courtly. "We are here to see what you have readied for us."_

"_Of course. But I heard rumours about a major Maverick attack. Is it serious?" he asked, concern in his voice. _

_Copy X motioned Harpuia and the first guardian talked. "It was a multi-hit assault, professor. Apparently, many small teams attacked at the same time, many of them in populated areas."_

_The concern on the professor's face increased and he eyed each of his guests critically. "I assume the death toll was heavy?" he asked solemnly._

_Harpuia seemed astonished by that. "Fortunately there has been no human casualties" he replied flatly._

"_That's wonderful news. But... quite unexpected. Since mavericks are merciless as we all know" he responded carefully._

_Before the first guardian could think of a retort, Copy X stepped forward. "As Harpuia said, we were really lucky. So, do you have anything to show us?" he asked impatiently. _

_In the next minutes, the coated reploid presented the group with various schematics. Fefnir was apparently distracted by the sights around him, marvelling at a huge experimental cannon that was on display and was only deterred from touching it after Harpuia let an audible cough as a warning. As the red guardian pouted and Phantom remained emotionless, the three other visitors gasped at what they saw, Copy X actually smiling quite unhealthily._

"_... and that's all about the elemental golems. I have kept their energy consumption as low as possible and their performance is three times better than the existing models" he finished._

_After that, Copy X stared a bit more then clapped his hands exited, the guardians soon following him. "That's excellent, professor!" he exclaimed. "As soon as you finalise the plans we will start production. I see my faith in you was not misplaced. In fact, the rumours understated your value."_

"_That's not all" replied the professor, causing silence to fill the chamber. "I have also started another plan" he continued at length. "It is cutting edge technology and not to be mass-produced, but I think even one would be a great asset to any army. I have temporarily named it 'Siegeloid' " he declared, causing a holoscreen to produce the three-dimensional model of a mole-like mechaniloid. "Nearly indestructible, it can devastate walls, natural obstacles and mavericks alike. There is space for a small assault crew as well as many droid and mine dispensers. The drill head can dig through most known defences and there is a high-levelled entropy shield included. In a worst case scenario, there is a potent self-destruct system on board to destroy any remaining targets."_

_Copy X's eyes were wide open as he went through some small print data on a regular screen, reading furiously. At long last, he stopped and regarded the professor. "This... I am really speechless. This mechaniloid might as well defeat the war for us. You may start constructing it immediately. In fact, all our resources are at your service, professor. Use what you want."_

_Copy X obviously wished to add more, but a furious explosion resounded in the chamber. "What was that?" he demanded agitated. _

"_I fear it came from the laboratory dedicated to the energy substitute research, master X" replied Leviathan gravely. "Another accident, I presume." _

_Copy X's face contorted. "I think I have some choice word for these worthless fools, humans and reploids alike" he snorted, turning and walking hastily towards the source of the apparent chaos. The other three guardians followed him, but Harpuia stayed behind._

"_Can I help you, master Harpuia?" asked the professor politely._

_The first guardian studied him intently, staring at the white fins that circled his purple helmet and the blue gem in the middle. While the armor seemed of the newest design, there still seemed to be something weird, even archaic about it._

"_I see you hide much, professor" started the jade warrior slowly. "I understand much of your designs but what I don't, seems to be entirely your invention."_

_The reploid before him smiled. "I have heard a lot about you, first guardian. I believe that if you had no other duties, you would easily surpass my designs" he offered._

_Harpuia seemed thoughtful. "Is there any help you can offer to the team working on the energy solution?" he replied hopefully. "All my attempts to help were... less than successful."_

_The professor sighed. "Alas, energy production was never my area. Now I wish I had studied fusion generators while they were still functional."_

_Harpuia's eyes went wide at that. "You mean you were around when there were still fusion generators running?" he asked in disbelief. _

"_No, no, no!" the professor was quick to answer. "I meant while they were still intact. We know very well no functional fusion generators survived the Elf Wars."_

"_Indeed" followed Harpuia tentatively._

_The professor tried to change the subject. "Is it true that the legendary Zero was found by the mavericks and now works for them?" he asked quickly._

_The guardian's face darkened. "I won't even ask from where you got that strictly classified information. But yes, he has apparently lost his memory and the mavericks manipulate him. An acquaintance of yours?"_

_His question was meant to be sarcastic, but Harpuia noticed a look of astonishment on the other reploid's face for only a fleeting moment. It was soon replaced by a chuckle. "Of course not" replied the professor. "How could he be?"_

As the video file stopped playing, Cerveau, Ciel and Zero looked at each other. While the first two were visibly concerned, the third just appeared pensive.

"That's horrible" started Cerveau worried. "We barely have means to defeat regular golems but that..."

Ciel shook her head. "I'm not too concerned about them" she replied. "Even improved, they still retain the disadvantages of the first models. But that mechaniloid... Even with our shield generator at maximum efficiency, I doubt we can hold it back for long."

The engineer eyed Ciel curiously. "But we have nowhere near enough energy for the generator to do that!" he countered.

Ciel nodded. "I know. This means we have to... speed up the mission me and Zero were talking about" she stated, turning questioningly to the red warrior.

Zero appeared thoughtful. "I can gather those I need and brief them today. The sooner we can start is tomorrow night" he replied a while later.

Ciel appeared crestfallen. "I don't like you have to go to a mission so soon after the last one" she muttered.

If Zero heard her, he gave no indication as he walked out of the room, the automated door behind him sliding back with a seemingly unusually resounding thud...

* * *

He slowly opened his eyes, remembering nothing for a single, blissful moment. Then it all rushed back to him. The trek in the desert, the mystifying tower, the fight with Garon and his desperate transformation. Axl, now fully awake, rose his head and regarded his surroundings. What he saw was... nothing.

"Well, not exactly nothing" he muttered absentmindedly. There was definitely the floor he was lying on, although it was perfectly smooth and perfectly white. There was also a sky or at least something like a sky, also white and also empty. He tried to look as far as he could, cranking his optics to maximum zoom, but try as he may, there was nothing to be seen. For the matter, he couldn't even locate where the floor ended and the sky started.

"What the hell..." he spoke as he gingerly rose to his feet. A few seconds in this place and his mind was already aching from the lack of sensory input. He then noticed for the first time he was wearing nothing at all. No armor, no helmet and no clothes of any kind. Despite being alone, he felt quite embarrassed and attempted to summon his armor. With no result whatsoever.

"What the hell!" he repeated louder, only to cringe at the intensity of his own voice. There were no other sounds around him, he noticed. After staying completely still for a while, he started hearing his own body functioning. He could hear the rhythmic sound of his cardiopump, the flow of the artificial blood under his skin, even the sound of his eyelids as he blinked. Axl suddenly felt very afraid. His eyes almost grew twice their original size and he wrapped his hands around his body, frantically hugging himself while trembling. He was not the least cold. Or hot for the matter, although he would currently trade his hand for such a sensation. He felt the world around him pressing on him, suffocating him with pure nothingness. Unable to cope with the feeling, he threw his head backwards and let an inhuman, resounding scream.

* * *

"Morning, Viny. How are you?"

The plump cook rose his eyes and eyed the newcomer, then smiled a peculiar smile. "Very well, Zero" he replied as he went to serve the red warrior's meal. "Say" he started when he was finished. "Have you seen that elf friend of yours anywhere? The white one" he asked and Zero noticed a very sharp vibro-cleaver firmly held in his hand.

"What has she done again?" he asked resigned. "Nothing too troublesome I hope."

"Of course not" stated Viny, his smile huge, unnatural. "She just mixed my spice containers, removed the plugs from some appliances and glued all the spoons together. Nothing troublesome at all" he droned and Zero noticed his eyes unfocusing. "Tell her I wish to see her when you find her" he finished, staring at nothing at all.

"Yes, I'll do so" replied Zero, raising a brow, but then shrugged and picked his tray.

A few tables further, Bolthor was in the middle of reciting the last battle to a large and still growing crowd of reploids that had apparently given up on their meals to come closer and listen.

"...then, as Colbor was about to be impaled, Zero appeared from nowhere, slashed the thing in two as if it was made of ice-cream, saved our commander's scrawny butt and kicked ten more behemoths off the tower. I bet the explosion was heard all the way to X's chambers!" he said, accompanying his narration with fitting if not ridiculous hand motions.

Many laughs erupted, much to the discomfort of Colbor that appeared crestfallen. "I wasn't doing that bad" he complained, causing more laughs.

"Bolthor is in really good mood today." Zero turned to the side to see Bianka holding her tray and staring at the scene. "Since he is so busy, let us sit here for now" she added, indicating an empty table nearby.

Zero complied, then regarded the white ninja intently. "That is true for you too" he replied. "You seem happier than when we first met."

"Well" started Bianka, looking downwards but them locking eyes with Zero and smiling. "I guess I'm happy we managed to survive the last mission" she continued. "But also I wasn't sure if I could keep up with you guys. I'm... not so used fighting."

Zero rose a brow at that. "Really? I think you fought quite well on that tower, Bianka. I'd swear you are even better than Bolthor. That was not the display of a novice."

"You... you think so?" she asked embarrassed, passing a hand through her silver hair. "I was made for fighting but had very few true combats."

Zero nodded. "In fact, I wanted to ask you and Bolthor to help me with a mission tomorrow. That is, if you have recuperated from the last one" he said, indicating the place she had been stabbed some days before.

Bianka smirked. "The big oaf there will sure want to come" she replied. "And since I can't stop him, I'll have to keep an eye on him."

Zero's face became serious. "Are you sure about that, though? It hopefully won't get as hopeless as the last one, but one of us might still..."

Zero's voice trailed off as Bianka's hand rose and rested on his arm. "Say no more, Zero. I know that very well. I love Bolthor and I consider you and everybody else as a friend" she declared seriously. "And I can't stay here in safety while you risk your lives out there. " At that she rose from her seat, removing a kunai from her belt, igniting its red blade and holding it close to her chest. "Please accept us for your mission Zero, even if we become a burden to you" she stated formally, then sat back down replacing the weapon.

"Where have you learned that?" mused Zero, trying not to laugh.

"Well..." started Bianka blushing. "I think that's how they do it in the movies."

"And don't you dare think you can keep us out of this!"

Bianka rose her head upwards to determine the voice's source, contrary to Zero who didn't even bother to do the same. "Ah, it's you Isis. And Siri, too. How much have you heard?" she asked merrily.

"Everything, of course" chimed Isis, spinning in the air. "Even the cheesy display of ninja loyalty" she added winking while deftly dodging Siri's body slam.

"Don't pay her attention, Bianka" retaliated the multicoloured cyber-elf. "I think it was a very touching display" she continued sagely.

"If you think so..." replied the white warrior tentatively but then turned to the white fay. "By the way, you might want to stay away from Viny for a while, Isis. I fear he has placed a bounty on your head" she replied, half-serious.

"What for? I did nothing too serious" replied Isis innocently. "Well" she continued " he might be a bit upset about me changing some spice labels. Or..." she went on under the inquisitive glare of the other three figures. "... he might have noticed I unplugged some sockets. It might even be because I accidentally dropped some of Cerveau's superglue in the spoon tray."

Siri's eyes went wide at that. "You... you..." she started choking.

"But I can't see why he'd do that" she continued ignoring Siri's attempts to strangle her. "I don't think he has yet realised what I have put in one of his..." she went on, but was interrupted by a scream of pure rage coming from the kitchen's general direction. "Well, scratch that" she finished laughing nervously.

"Having fun?" asked Bolthor as he and Colbor switched tables. "And how are you today, Bianka" he asked after they shared a quick kiss.

"Wonderful" replied the ninja smiling. "Zero was telling me about a new mission."

This sparked the large warrior's interest. "Really?" he asked. "I hope you do intend to include us this time."

"I'll also be happy to help" offered Colbor, munching at his meal. "Why does the food taste so strange today?" he inquired.

"Don't ask" replied Zero eyeing Isis who started whistling. "Anyway, as you know, the energy crisis affects us as much as it does Neo-Arcadia. This base has too many occupants to both sustain them and defend the place. So we will be occupying a nearby power plant."

Colbor, who had his glass at his mouth, choked on his drink. "Zero! Do you realise how well defended Neo-Arcadian power plants are!" he exclaimed. "You'll need an army to do that."

Zero smiled slightly. "That would be true, if not for Ciel's help. The power plant we are targeting is being cut off from the Neo-Arcadian power gird as we speak. The energy it produces is far too little to reach the destination, but they intend to keep the production going to power their security measures. We simply get rid of any defences they have installed and the place is ours. I bet they won't even notice, at least for some time."

Everybody nodded satisfied, then Zero continued. "Ciel has provided us the building's blueprints, although these are old and might have changed a bit. Now, I have thought of a plan but I'm no real tactician so I want your input..."

* * *

Later that night, Zero was lying on his bed although sleep was not coming easily. The audible snores that filled his room were hardly the reason.

"Since when cyber-elves snore, anyway?" he muttered, eyeing Isis' still and dark form that lied on the nearby desk.

**_But that's not what's troubling you, right squire?_** Resounded the all too familiar voice in his head.

"You again" spoke Zero resigned. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?"

_**You can keep trying though. So, you are troubled by what you saw while napping after sending that elephant to the great mammoth beyond, huh?**_

"Well" replied Zero, his voice a whisper. "I felt anger when I saw that large reploid with the blue eyes."

_**That's a good sign, kid. The only feelings ol' chrome dome ever inspired were anger or fear. After he changed, that is.**_

Zero rose a brow. "You mean you actually know who I'm talking about?" he asked. When the answer never came he let a sigh. "How about that girl with the brown hair. I can't even remember her name, yet still, I feel I miss something important."

This time, the red warrior expected no answer, but an answer he received. **_You know, kid. We sometimes wish for things we don't have, but when we get them, we feel worse. If you don't kill us soon by stupidity, you'll remember everything you'd ever want. But whether it will be for better or worse, only time can tell. Ain't Time a wise old bitch? _**

"Indeed", replied Zero. "And you seem to intent to stick with me at least until that happens."

_**Nothing better to do, squire. I'm bored out of your mind, you know. As you said, you are stuck with me for now.**_

Zero couldn't help but smile. "I see. Well, you can always watch my back for me. Please do so" he finished as he finally fell asleep.

_**I was doing it anyway, kid. Good night...**_

_**

* * *

**_

And that's all folks!

**Important notice: **Instead of starting a new forum, I opened a topic in "The all megaman forum" admined by Aria6. You'll know it when you see it. If you don't know wth I'm talking about, this site allows the creation of fora now. There is a link in my profile page, found if you click on my penname, for all you lazy ones. I'm thinking of gradually moving my review answers there and everybody with questions, suggestions or plain wish for contact may go there too. For now I'll just put them answers on both places.

**To Wolf Hawk Vulcan:** Mo-oi (Or however you spell 'It doesn't matter' in Japanglish XD) better late than never;-) I figured as much. I do read your story after all, although I have no idea where the 'vulcan' part came from... Have you been playing the exe games?

**To isis2k2: **And this chapter is a late New Year's present. I never doubted Ciel had fallen for Zero. As for the opposite, it was never proven, so... Perhaps you can now tell who the doctor is... or not;-) It's the only logical way to explain how X and Zero are always just a bit stronger than any cutting edge enemies they face. They evolve from their surroundings. Gaining new weapons is only the obvious part. I like that too about the Zero games, although they don't use it too much in the later instalments.

**To PhiloWorm: **Oh, yes, Erico. I have to reread these fics, it's been a long time... I fear the world is not ready for teh crystal armor yet. If anything, it will have to wait until after the form changes. That's an interesting idea, but difficult to implement. I don't want to stray too far from the canon story and I want to think I haven't till now. Also, I have a peculiar theory about the Maverick virus that I might put in a yet uncertain mmx fic. Wily's true intent was never to destroy the world or the humans. He just wanted world domination. Think about it... Oh yes, I forgot to mention that was a special cookie XD.

**To Bluepaladin42: **(looks to the word counter) Well, I think it's already a long story. Nothing like Terronova or The college years (shudder) but still... There is enough material to go for four times as much. Question is, when I'll get bored... Guess what, I also like the status changes;-) I have to try not to overuse them. It's Light and Wily. None of them can build a megaman on their own. Even the first Megaman was the child of both scientists. Pretty ironic for Wily...

**To Blade:** If you reach here, congratulations! Welcome btw.

**To MyGBAcanTalk: **Never worry, you are on my stalk... um watch list. As you said, crazy as always XD Why are you confused? Am I so confusing ;..; It's still mmz1. Elpizo is already a pain in the arse but not a pain in the arse with authority yet.

**To golden-eyedwolf842:** Thank you, thank you. Although you really have to teach me how you do that. As in READING and reviewing at least fifty stories on the same day... I want to learn to READ that fast:-(

**To Servant of GOD:** Hi there! I have been seeing you in my stats for some time and I'm glad you decided to make yourself known. Why, I'm flattered. I always like observant reviewers;-)

Anyway, read and review as always. See you next chapter, or if you can't wait you can always try the forums. And... Happy new year!


	24. Blistering maw

Yes, yes I know this chapter is a bit late, although... I never said how often I'll be updating. Insert here all kinds of usual and lame excuses, such as laziness, blocks, busyness, video games, etc, etc... Anyway, thank you all for keeping reading and reviewing and I think I'll save you any other rants and continue with:

* * *

Chapter 24: Blistering maw

The large gallery's purpose was mainly general vehicle maintenance. Workbenches and tools, disassembled ride chasers and hover cars, oil stains and high voltage cables dominated the scenery. Many such halls existed in and around Neo-Arcadia, generally close to hangers and garages for obvious efficiency reasons. This one in particular was neither the largest nor the best equipped, but still, it shared the same secondary function all the others served. Such chambers, being roomy and filled with various resources, could provide great tactical advantage, assuming a knowledgeable leader is in command. Should an enemy army attempt to attack Neo-Arcadia, they would certainly be forced to pass through such a room at least once and a large chamber filled with enemies would halt any army, seeing as the corridors leading to it barely allowed three average persons to walk together. Of course, in case appropriate leadership is lacking, a small hostile team could easily succeed in cleaning the defensive force in such a chamber.

Multiple single red eyes shone in the dim room, only one out of five ceiling lights still working due to the security breach. Low grade, but still quite lethal, busters pointed towards one of the chamber's doors, energy waiting to be charged inside the lenses deep in their barrels. Stun batons, still dark but already ready to channel their potent stream of electrons to many an unsuspecting foe, were raised and poised to strike. Several figures seemed malformed at first sight, but closer speculation proved they were meant to be like that, one hand normal, the other larger than the rest of their bodies. And behind the Pantheons -Hunters, Guardians and Fists alike- a single, large form was half concealed from sight, apparently detached from the ground, two lifeless, white optics on its square head and huge arms flanking its plain, bulky body.

Despite the substantial force present, there was still much space to be spared inside the chamber, all of them merely clustered close to that single door, unmoving, silent and waiting. And the most important feature missing from this assembly of statues was exactly what they would have needed. Someone with appropriate leadership or any amount of it, as in a true reploid or human commander. But, of course, jail-brakes were never much of a problem and even when they occurred, the subjects rarely stood a chance at all. If anything, Copy X was content to allow prisoners a chance to leave their cells, only to speed up their... correction. Less reploids meant more energy, anyway.

As the twin doors started parting in a pace sentients would describe as 'nerve-racking', every droid in presence seemed as if waking from slumber, tensing and readying its weapon. At long last, there was nothing blocking the Neo-Arcadian unit's line of sight and the corridor unveiled before them, dark and unwelcoming like most corridors in this part of the great city. Still, the drones remained inanimate, waiting for a real target before initiating their battle routines. And the stimulus their slow brains expected came in the form of a blue object flying across the opening before them. They all reacted as one, the pantheon Guardians and Fists dashing forward, the Hunters firing their busters in unison and the golem behind them searing their mutual target with its green laser beam. The cacophony lasted for only a second, then all drones stopped short, their optics trained on the object they had just demolished. And it took them more than a few seconds to figure said item was nothing more than a plain pantheon head. Or used to be...

Now, although them being drones meant that such an event could not affect them emotionally, it also meant they were hard-pressed to determine what their next move should be. However, such indecision was resolved seconds later, as they spotted movement coming from one of the corridor's side-passages. Not losing a second, all them rushed ahead, pantheon Fists leading the way and the golem guarding their rear. When they reached the passage, they beheld a peculiar scene. A humanoid form was covered by a red-splotched, white sheet, as if in a poor attempt to fake a ghost. And the figure, while it made no attempt to escape, seemed quite alive, apparently moving its arm up and down from below the sheet. And that was the movement they had seen earlier, as the arm was positioned to be visible from the main corridor.

Finally, one of the pantheons managed to take initiative and remove the stained cover, only to come face to face with another pantheon that was apparently missing its head. Further examination revealed an almost invisibly thin wire tied around the limp limb, going upwards, then extending towards the room they were assigned in. Before the X-droids could appreciate the importance of that little piece of information, the twin doors behind them sealed themselves with a resounding thud, causing their necks to snap towards that direction.

A black spiked fist punched the door's control pad inside the wall, a satisfied grunt coming from its owner when the device went dark. "And this takes care of these sad excuses of sentinels, at least for now" declared the tall black reploid, apparently happy with himself.

"I can't believe this worked" muttered Max disheartened. After all, he had been the one disagreeing with this seemingly crazy proportion all along.

Bernard patted the scientist's back, his mood apparently taking a turn for the best. "Come now, Max. Overestimating these pieces of scrap is not that hard."

"You are one to talk" snapped Max to the warrior, although he was really quite relieved himself.

"Be glad and be grateful" stated Michael, turning to their fourth and still unknown reploid. "So, is it far?" he inquired neutrally.

The masked giant shook his head. "Not far, but I'm not really eager to face what other crap this goddamn dungeon can still throw on us. In any case, we have our backs secured. These gates are build to last, but let's move on."

* * *

Under the starlit sky, a hatch opened from the ground, albeit slightly, and a pair of optics scanned the surrounding area. The reploid owner of said optics quickly retreated below, reentering the old sewer system. Mercifully, the stench from a century before had dissipated, leaving the place damp but not olfactory challenging. The reploid followed the large pipe for a while, scaring some three-eyed rats back into the shadows and turning at the first intersection. Seeing the rest of his team, gathered around a light orb, the reploid stood attention and saluted.

"Commander Colbor, I have scouted above as you asked" he declared formally. After a nod from said commander, the soldier continued. "There are some mechaniloids patrolling around in the yard, but nothing too serious. There is no artificial light except what little comes from inside the factory. Also, no reploid guards" he finished.

Colbor turned to the rest of his companions. "It seems everything is set. We can start as soon as we want.

A figure rose from the place he was seated, stretching a bit, then nodding. "The sooner the better" he said, walking close to Colbor. "You must move out fast as soon as we give you the signal. Be careful out there. We will join you as soon as possible, but the first floor is yours" he continued, then turned to the second form that rose behind him. "Are you ready, Bianka?" he asked.

The white and purple ninja nodded. "Let's go, Zero" she responded, but then turned to Bolthor, who was looking at her concerned. "Don't worry, I'll be fine" she answered before he could ask. "Make sure you stay alive, too" she added, hugging him.

The gray warrior returned the gesture. "Watch yourself, girl" he replied, letting her go afterwards.

In the meantime, Zero was busy talking to two certain Cyber-elves. "Are you absolutely sure you don't want us along?" asked Siri for perhaps the hundredth time.

Zero sighed "I've already told you, both of you" he started. "We will be passing from the heart of the factory's cooling system. That's no place for you two. You are made of energy and you could be in danger."

"But, Z" started Isis pouting. "We want to hel... have some fun" she added, pausing for a while in mid-sentence.

"The others will surely need your help" retaliated the red hunter with a tone of finality, performing an about face and walking away, Bianka right behind him.

None of them attempted to look behind.

* * *

He slapped his own cheek with enough force to draw blood. He then repeated multiple times until he started regaining his composure. At long last, he opened his eyes, wiping the tears in shame and trying to calm down.

"Come now" he muttered to himself panting, his face contorted. "Don't be a wuss, take it like a man" he snarled.

At long last, the oppressive nothingness lifted a bit, allowing Axl some respite, and he rose to his feet trembling. "See, now" he started again. "That was not so damn hard" he whispered, his voice unsteady.

Looking downwards, he saw the red liquid on his hand. Sighing, he kneeled again, wiping it on the white floor and painting it the color of rose. "At least there is **some** color in this godforsaken place now" he chuckled, feeling better. "Well then" he added, rising again. "Let's see if I can find a way out" he finished, starting jogging lightly towards a random direction.

He continued for what seemed like hours, but he couldn't really tell. For some reason, accessing his internal clock or any of his other systems had been impossible. He let it slide for now, of course, as there were more pressing matters at hand. He was starting to despair, when he saw a change in his surroundings. Instead of the usual white, he saw something different a long distance ahead. He picked up his pace, first running, then sprinting towards the only visible change he had seen since waking up.

When Axl reached the area of his interest, though, his cheerful and hopeful face changed to one of pure shock. For what he saw were the, now dark red, bloodstains he had left behind. He collapsed on his knees, his eyes tightly closed, but this time rage reigned over fear. His unarmored fist rose, then collided with the floor in full force, causing a low and ominous thud to fill the realm around him. His second fist followed and soon, he found himself senselessly punching at the floor in frustration. He did not stop when he started to feel real pain. He would not relent when new blood specks started covering the old ones. Even when the metallic bones of his knuckles met the white ground, he ignored the sickening sensation and continued punching.

What made him stop, though, was a voice from behind him. "Stop, Axl! Please! Don't hurt yourself any more! Please, listen to me!"

The black tiger turned around slowly, then his eyes grew to the size of silver coins.

* * *

Bianka slowly raised the old sewer hatch, somehow keeping the procedure silent despite the century-old rust. When she made sure no mechaniloid sentry could spot them, she quickly moved the hatch all the way back, hoping casually out and soon being followed by Zero.

"_Please lead the way, Bianka" _came a text message from Zero. They had exchanged their personal frequencies before the mission, thus being able to communicate unnoticed, provided they were not too far from each other and they were out of any sensor's range.

The girl regarded Zero questioningly, but then another message came. _"I have yet to find out if stealth missions were my forte" _he clarified. _"Until I figure it out, go first so that we have a chance to remain hidden."_

Bianka nodded, then activated her chameleon drive. While the device was not as effective as a stealth generator, it allowed her to blend in the shadows better while having low enough energy consumption to be part of her armor. Zero was content to stay just behind her, trying to hide in shadows deep enough to conceal his armor and hair. He decided against using his portable stealth generator yet to conserve its battery.

They soon crept closer to their target, passing a fence that was mostly used as a landmark rather than a means to keep intruders out and hiding behind some large containers, apparently abandoned in the factory's yard. They attempted to walk right past them, but a second later they both stopped, leaping backwards in unison and equally silently and staying very still in the darkest shadows they could find. Bianka regarded Zero intrigued, then almost gasped as he abruptly vanished from all of her non-optical sensors. He was still before her eyes, but everything else indicated there was nothing beside her, as if all his systems had shut down. Seconds later, an airborne drone, an energy disk projected before its missile-like body, passed right above them, looking for intruders but finding none. It soon turned, disappearing around one of the two huge Energon silos that rose close to their position. The large, tower-like structures were usually used to deposit refined Energon before transporters could pick it up, since the substance was quite volatile and not to be kept close to key points in such quantities. Of course, the silos were currently almost empty, what little energy flowing in them soon consumed to keep all guardian mechaniloids powered.

Bianka gawked at Zero in awe, as his systems seemingly blinked to life again, but decided to focus on the mission instead. The two warriors regarded each other, then nodded, peeking from behind the great boxes, then sprinting silently towards the twin silos. Reaching at their base, Bianka produced a strange-looking pistol from her belt, aiming close to the first silo's top and firing a slim cord that latched firmly on the wall. She then pressed the trigger again, her body leaving the ground and steadily ascending upwards. Scanning her surroundings at the same time, her eyes fell on Zero that was keeping up with her and somehow gaining height faster. She tried to understand what means the red bomber was using, but she soon gave up. Zero seemed to somehow kick at the wall below him as his hands latched on the otherwise flawless surface. Yet, no damage was visible on the metal wall, no dent to suggest he was actually carving a ladder.

As soon as they reached the top, Bianka replacing her gadget in its position, they quickly ducked behind the low ledge that stood on top of the silo, peeking above it and spotting a foe. Zero had seen these contraptions before, minutes after he was awakened by Ciel. Many floppers where levitating above the silos, their orange, spherical body glowing and ready to assault any target and self-destruct on contact. Needless to say, Zero had no desire to feel their bite again and his ninja companion knew contact could very easily prove lethal for her.

"I thought these things were banned" hissed Bianka under her breath while trying to devise a plan.

"_I distract them, you pass, then I use my cloak generator" _came Zero's message and he made sure Bianka would get no time to argue or try to stop him as he started dashing along the silo's rim, barely concealed by the ledge and heading towards the opposite direction.

Bianka was so startled she went to speak loudly, but managed to cover her own mouth in time, swearing silently and, since there was no stopping Zero, getting ready to execute his plan. Soon, an otherwise faint sound was heard in the moonless, still night, sharply audibly and causing all floppers to head towards its source. Bianka ignited her chameleon drive for good measure, then sprinted forward, taking her hook gun again and aiming. She never hesitated as she reached the silo's end, leaping in the air and shooting her wire towards the second silo. Resuming her dash on the second structure, she repeated the motion, this time aiming for the factory itself and soon finding herself on a ledge just below the building's top.

Just before the floppers zeroed on Zero's position, he rendered himself invisible, the drones confused and cutting sharp circles around his general position. He debated whether he should take them out, but decided against that line of action. Until they could make sure Neo-Arcadia would not learn of their little mission any time soon, they had to keep a low profile. Leaving the confused sentries behind, the crimson warrior sped towards the opposite direction, dash-jumping above the chasm between the two silos then again towards the main facility, latching right next to Bianka just as his cloak generator went off, its battery spent.

The white reploid couldn't help but gasp after his sudden appearance, her body assuming a fighting stance before she had time to think. She relaxed almost immediately, sighing. "You really have a way of going unnoticed" she mused faintly and after Zero rose a brow in confusing, they both made their way to the top of the building.

As soon as they set foot on the roof, their comms came to life. "_I can get your signal now"_ stated Ciel from the other side of the line. _"Is everything alright?"_ she asked anxiously.

"We are unhurt and unnoticed" replied Zero promptly. "It's your turn to guide us."

* * *

The reploid was seated in front of his holo-screen, his mind hardly paying any attention to the world outside, since he was occupied with what had always been his life's utmost goal.

"The road to perfection" he mused under his breath, almost mechanically.

"Talking to yourself again, Gate?" responded a high-pitched voice from above him teasingly.

The reploid's eyes went wide at that. "Yes, I have been thinking a lot about this new gate system" he quickly retaliated, then snapped his fingers under his desk. Though it was hardly noticeable, his eyes glinted the faintest of reds for a fragment of a second. This resulted the security camera that was lodged above them to be deactivated promptly and loop the last hour's video feed.

"Vibe, you idiot" hissed the reploid immediately afterwards, turning to glare at the green cyber-elf above him. "You are not supposed to call me by name!" he added, whispering despite having deactivated all surveillance units around him-even the non-visible ones.

The cyber-elf seemed startled at that, then descended on the desk before Gate. "Sorry boss" he apologized lamely. "I keep forgetting you want to remain as 'the professor'" he sighed.

The reploid scientist rose a hand to massage his right temple. "It's okay" he offered calmly. "Sorry for yelling at you, Vibe. You are practically the only one I can freely talk with now."

"No problem, doc" chirped the fay, his spirits lifting again. "I know you miss home as much as I do."

Gate just had to smile at that. "Home" he mused, as if tasting the word in his mouth. "Yes, Vibe, I suppose I miss that home. I did spend almost a century there, after all" he added with a tone of nostalgia. "But it seems I can't keep low profile forever, my elf friend. Neo-Arcadia has found us even if they don't know who we are."

Vibe's aura flared at that, a sure sign of agitation. "That ninja that burst in was scary and I don't trust that 'master' X" he declared, coloring the word 'master' with all the scorn he could muster.

"Beta X, Vibe" chuckled Gate, apparently amused. "Nothing more than a copy of the real thing. Surely impressive work, but still a cheap copy. Beta X is what I'm calling him.

"Then why are we here, boss?" inquired the elf, unconsciously spinning in the air. "I'm pretty sure you could take on that Beta X any day."

The purple armored scientist sighed. "That might be true, Vibe, but what next? Go to the Resistance?" he asked, almost sneering. "They have been faring horribly during the last years. Only recently do things seem better for them and that's because..."

"... because of Zero!" finished Vibe excitedly.

Gate appeared thoughtful. "Perhaps" he mused at length, rubbing his chin. "Provided he is the Zero you and I know..."

"I want to see him again" chirped the fay. "It's been so very long since we last saw him and he was a fun guy!"

"Still, the Zero we know would have already stormed Neo-Arcadia and would have sent Beta X into low orbit, Vibe" explained Gate, causing the elf to deflate. "Amnesia would be an adequate cause, but still...Until I can be sure, this place is as good as any" he added flatly.

Vibe's aura diminished visibly, indicating the entity was deep in thought. "But what if he has to face any of your stuff, boss. Without his memory..." he asked, leaving the last sentence to hang ominously.

Gate actually smiled at that. "Don't worry, Vibe. If he is really Zero, he will find my help. I own him too much to let him die like that..."

* * *

"_One more time!"_ requested Ciel, causing Zero to groan and Bianka to sigh.

"We will enter through the factory's cooling system" recited Zero, fighting back an urge to open the locked hatch before them with his head.

"You can only deactivate each fan for periods of five seconds every minute" followed the ninja, fighting back a chuckle.

"We have to make it close to the center, where we will find a sub-route that will lead us to the control chamber" continued Zero impatiently.

"Where we will help you hack into the Neo-Arcadian link" finished Bianka and nearly jumped on her feet as a clicking sound came from the hatch before them, signifying it as unlocked.

"_Go, but be extremely careful"_ cautioned Ciel, heavy concentration apparent in her voice.

Zero lifted the hatch but then flinched as a powerful draft of hot air assaulted his thermo-receptors. Nonetheless, he and Bianka soon entered the vertical shaft, climbing down on a plain ladder embedded in the steel wall. A full minute later they reached a horizontal shaft, crouching in it while the draft continued to impair their movements. Soon, the new shaft ended with a grate, a low, reddish glow coming from the other side to complement the heat. Now the two reploids could smell the offensive olfactory signals one would expect close to volcanic activity. Sulfur was one of them, but the rest were even more distracting.

Zero made a face, but then casually kicked the heavy metal grate off its position. And, to his disbelief, he saw the thing being swept away like a feather would, sucked further down the tunnel. And what a tunnel it was, circular and smooth, its radius more then six meters. Zero was prepared for it, but still the draft almost took his hand as he extended it out of the shaft's protection. Fortunately, handles were placed on the tunnels perimeter, right in front of their shaft, presumably for maintenance drones to be able to work without having to stop the fans.

_Or perhaps to allow intruders in,_ mused Bianka silently, following Zero and grasping said handles firmly, her body seemingly pleading to be sucked by said fans. And then she saw the contraptions themselves, one before her and one further down the tunnel, or rather saw the disturbance they caused to the background light. The fans covered the whole tunnel's width, rotating too fast to be seen and supported by huge solid pylons that apparently extended through and far beyond the tunnel's walls.

"_Are you ready?" _asked Zero by means of a text message, since his voice would have little chance to reach Bianka.

The white ninja nodded, then Zero opened his comm. "Deactivate fan number 2" he requested.

Moments later, the huge fan became visible, its flaps slowing down and soon coming to a screeching halt as powerful magnetic brakes paused it. But before the machine could completely stop its rotation, the two reploids were already dashing towards it. The draft was now navigable but still hot as ever and the rest of the fans gave Bianka the impression she was pushing against something far denser than air. By the time the fan stopped completely, they were already passing from between the flaps and could not help but notice just how sharp the edges were.

With not a second to spare, they continued against the draft, mercifully spotting the next line of handles just as the giant fan behind them started reactivating. They lunged for it and grabbed the metal bars, feeling a mighty tug almost immediately afterwards as the once again rotating contraption reclaimed its share of pressure degrading.

"_Are you..."_ started Ciel, but Zero responded promptly.

"Affirmative. Give us a moment and we'll try the next one" he replied, raising his head to face the next propeller blocking their way.

**_This will be a long trek, squire,_** noted the voice in his mind and Zero had no choice but to agree.

* * *

Elisa set her magnetic pen on the table beside her bed, lying back and letting her eyes shut for a few seconds. Despite her initial thoughts to brush away Rocinolle's warning and jump out of the bed and back to active duty, the commander of Resistance's fourth branch found her body unresponsive and weary. Which was to be expected after the astounding trial she had gone through. Her mind had blocked out these moments, the time she had spent in any number of exotic hells, but she could feel the dreadful memories lurking just below conscious thought, ready to jump in plain light and devour her.

"Is this combination correct, commander?" asked a male voice from beside her and all nasty notions vanished from her thoughts like shadows before light. She opened her eyes, glaring at the voice's owner intently and somewhat wickedly, only her mouth revealed humour.

"Could you repeat that, Elpizo? I don't believe I've heard you" she replied, so formally the other figure had to stifle a chuckle.

Elpizo feint a cough. "I mean, is this combination correct, Elisa?" he asked again, receiving a nod of approval.

"That's better" she replied, snatching his data-pad and scanning the writing on it. Some seconds later, she rose a brow and turned to regard the pink-clad reploid in near-awe. "Where have you learned to organise military squads like that?" she inquired. "You barely know the soldiers themselves and still you have formed them in powerful teams!"

Elpizo was taken off guard by the sudden praise. "Wha?... I... I used to go through some Neo-Arcadian archives some year ago and I might have picked up a thing or two" he replied nervously. "And these records are very detailed. This Zak made a very good job writing them" he added, but than winced as he saw the mask of sadness on Elisa's face. "I'm sorry" he apologised.

The commander let out a sigh but then offered a childlike smile to him. "No matter" she quickly added. "I'm sure Zak is still alive somewhere. Until we can find him, I want to make sure we run things as good as he would. He will be mocking me for a month and a day if I let things collapse in his absence" she exclaimed cheerfully. "And you will help me with that" she finished, placing an index on Elpizo's chest.

"I'll do my best" replied said reploid solemnly, causing Elisa to giggle.

"You don't have to be that serious when not on missions" she offered to him and their eyes locked as they stared at each other intently. They both blushed slightly, breaking the contact.

"And I have thought of another, back-up configuration, too" added Elpizo fast, anxious to change the subject and fumbling frantically through data pads and pieces of synthetic paper.

* * *

Tone and Pulse sat very still, their eyes glued on the large-sized capsule filled with bluish liquid and the orange-haired body suspended in it, while Font and Case were busy typing at separate consoles.

"This is not good" echoed a voice from the speakers, audibly concerned.

"What is wrong with Axl, doc?" asked Tone, his usual cheerful demeanor errant.

Dr Light, the father of the reploid race, produced a sigh. "Up to now, Axl was in comatose state and stable. But now his body strives to repair itself. His sleep seems restless and troubled as if he is going through some kind of trial. In fact and seeing how his brain circuits react, I'd say he has to face all skeletons hidden in his closet."

Nobody reacted to that, but everybody knew what these words meant. Even if Axl would try to pass as a youth, he had been alive for close to two centuries. While the black hunter always enjoyed life in its fullest, his friends knew well Axl had stashed away many traumatic experiences. Tone and Pulse could relate, seeing as both would sometimes experience nightmares of the Elf Wars, the single most destructive period in known history, even if a century had passed.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" asked Pulse calmly and the answer he received was disheartening.

"I have done all I could, Pulse" said the ghost of the good doctor. "It's entirely up to him now..."

Tone, that never shared his brother's calmness, reacted violently, jumping on his feet and kicking his chair in frustration. The item left a sizable dent on the stainless steel wall. "I'll be in Neo-Silvar" he stated flatly, exiting the room hastily. "Call me if we have any news."

* * *

"Deactivate fans number 8, 9 and 10"

Zero's request was implemented almost immediately, the two propellers behind and before him slowing down and stopping, as did the one after the next. The temporary loss of three fans allowed the tunnel's pressure to return to logical levels again. Not that Zero or Bianka had the time or disposition to contemplate that, desperate to finish their little trek. The air around them was by then pure fire, volcanic ash traveling at high speed both blinding them and irritating their synthetic skin. The red glow had also intensified and the red warrior had already made the mistake of trying his infrared sensors, something that left his mind screaming for the better part of a minute.

The two reploids dashed to the limit of their endurance since the ninth fan was the last they had to clear before exiting the factory's cooling system. As soon as they passed from between the ominous flaps though, Zero's eyes went wide.

_The handles are further away than usual, _his senses screamed to him and he could do no more than try his full power against the still substantial air draft. Dashing as close to the ground as possible, he thought for a moment he could make it. Alas, the three fans were already reactivating to keep the factory from over-heating, their five seconds of freedom just spent.

"Are they starting earlier" cried Bianka, loud enough for him to hear, although it would be pointless to currently correct her. The only thing they could now do was run and run fast.

And ten meters away from the handles, the inevitable happened. The gargantuan contraptions reactivated fully, sending the tunnel's pressure to a free fall. Zero felt his own body seizing to comply with his commands and losing its momentum, starting to slide backwards instead. In no time at all, he found himself in the middle of the tunnel and away from any walls he could grab at. Just as he was ready to brace himself for the definitely fatal collision with the previous fan, a hand grabbed his own hand and he grabbed back at once. Turning, he saw Bianka had fired her hook gun, grabbing the next line of handles either by sheer luck or sheer skill, then had reached for him at the last moment.

"Can you get us close to the walls?" shouted Zero to be heard above the monstrous roar of the tunnel.

Bianka depressed her gun's trigger, rigging it to draw them back at full force, but harvested no result whatsoever. Although the wire could hold them, the gun's motors were powerless against the draft. Zero gritted his teeth and tried to think hard for a way out, becoming desperate as the wire almost came loose a moment later, letting them a bit closer to their doom. He knew Ciel needed a full minute to deactivate the fans again, the factory's failsafes overriding any of her attempts, but he also knew they would not endure for that long.

**_That thing Cerveau gave you!_** Came a response from his mind and he complied at once, producing a cylinder not that different from his saber and pointing it downwards. Multiple segments erupted from the weapon's body, turning it into a quarterstaff, then an energy point appeared at its end, biting deeply on the bottom of the smooth tunnel. The Triple rod retreated, drawing the two reploids close to the solid surface. Both Zero and Bianka knew what they had to do then. Zero exchanged the rod for his saber in a movement too fast to be seen while Bianka moved her hook gun to her other hand, the one Zero was holding on, and produced a black-hilted red energy knife. The two warriors moved in unison, stabbing at the smooth metal surface below them, weapons lodging in.

The next minute seemed to take millennia to pass, but, mercifully, the three fans close to their position halted once more. Five seconds were terminally enough for them to reach their destination, latching on the line of handles just before they could be blown back again. Zero approached the grate on the side of the tunnel, half-blinded and using both hands to resist the now overwhelming current. To his disbelief, the grate in question was apparently sealed by some kind of energy field. Frowning, he brought his saber out, striking at the barrier with all the power he could channel from his awkward position. The show of light, sound and sparks was wasted inside the onslaught of sensory input reigning in the tunnel, but the result was not a favorable one, the wall of light bending but otherwise enduring the hits.

Zero stroke again and again without achieving any progress, but then stopped, thinking hard. It was then he noticed something was amiss. He could not rightly hear it, due to the ambient noise, but when he placed his hand against the steel wall he could feel something moving forcefully from the other side, causing vibrations through the metal. And then, all of a sudden, the field before them dissipated after blinking a couple of times, leaving the grate bare of any protection. Zero promptly grabbed the thing, his fingers almost digging in the metal and jerked it off its frame forcefully, leaving it to be swept away and be torn to pieces behind them.

Not wasting a thought, the two reploids stumbled into the new shaft, grateful to leave the hellish tunnel behind, and started crouching forward, but not before sparing a glance to what seemed to be the remains of the field emitter. The device was in sorry state, circuitry exposed and cackling, as if something had been bumping on it relentlessly. After the two reploids regarded each other, they dismissed the questions and soon reached another grate, which led them directly to their destination. The factory's command center.

Zero walked in first, making nary a sound, but when a foreign voice resounded in the chamber, his saber appeared in his hand faster than a lightning bolt.

"This unit is relieved the masters are safe. This unit was glad to be of help."

The voice would seem mundane enough, if not for the robotic tone usually associated with mechaniloids. And true enough, Zero and Bianka realized the owner of the voice was exactly that. Before the two, what seemed like a plain, green-capped metool sat, its large eyes regarding the duo intently.

"Were you the one that helped us?" inquired Bianka, scrutinizing the droid curiously.

"Affirmative" responded the metool. "This unit deactivated the fields emitter so that the masters could pass securely."

Zero rose a brow. "That does not explain why you have helped us, though" he noted. "Or why you call us 'masters'."

The metool was slow to reply and the answer came even more unnaturally spoken than before, this time completely computerized. "This unit simply follows its directives. This unit is programmed to regard Zero Omega model DRW-infinity2 and everybody affiliated positively towards him as 'masters'. This unit has no further information regarding directives or motives in its databanks" it stated.

Zero and Bianka looked at each other questioningly but seemed satisfied with the response. Finally, Zero turned to the metool again. "So, what other help can you offer us?" he asked.

A clicking sound came from the drone and it answered, this time its voice more humanlike. "This unit can help the master with bypassing this chamber's security. Also, this unit is equipped with a complete map of the complex, a newer version than the one the master possesses, and can act as a guide to the master" it responded.

Zero noticed that the drone knew much about their goals and equipment but mentioned nothing at that point. "Very well, then" he started at length. "Let's help Ciel establish a link" he added, but then hesitated. "Do you have a name?" he asked the metool.

The little drone nodded with its helmet vigorously. "The master can change this unit's designation at will, but this unit's standard designation is Nephar" it answered curtly.

Zero nodded. "That's a good name, Nephar. Thank you for your help"

The metool nodded back. "It is this unit's pleasure to help the master."

* * *

This concludes chapter 24. Stay tuned for the next chapter, which will follow... sometime. For anybody interested, I have started writing another story, this time in the X timeline. While it is not a direct prequel of this story, there might be some references...

Anyway, on to review answers. Since the forums are apparently dead, this will remain here until further notice.

**To RandyPandy:** Telling me that about my OCs is a real honor. I was afraid at some point I'm flooding this story with characters few would care about and such reviews are a relief. Well, Gate's body was salvaged and I think Alia would make everything to restore him. There is a doujishin, semi-official of course, that shows her just ready to bring him back online, only she has to fight back doubts. I think that after the 6th uprising fiasco, he would try to remain inconspicuous, just like Doppler. Doppler never died in X3.

**To Wolf Hawk: **Not Greek, just the Roman adaptation. I would know if he was Greek... Really, it's a shame nobody else reviews your stories. Know I will keep reading...

**To yamiangie:** You thought I had forgotten about the tree? I think the fact it is used as a Resistance base is fitting. As for Axl, you are supposed to be worried :P

**To isis2k2:** I hope you liked the fan part of the chapter. Plain retelling of the game would be boring and I'm trying to amend that. MMZ4 would have been the best of the four but the story suffered quite a bit IMO. Not exactly suffered, but they hardly kept any bonds with the other three games. No X, no guardians, no Ciel system... No promises as always. This story will continue as long as it will... I agree about Wily, only I think he regained focus towards the end. Thus Zero and the special program in him that apparently went wrong... You might want to try Revokov's work while I keep you waiting. His 'Terrornova' is a masterpiece...

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** I sure hope I'm not confusing. Spending so much time between chapters doesn't help either... Yep either you have more time than you need or not at all... Thanx!

**To Nick: **I like to place plot and characters above action and I'm happy people appreciate that. While I'm very careful with action scenes, mindless action is something I try to avoid.

**To PhiloWorm: **Well, the Virus' purpose IS to destroy. If Sigma had never stopped Zero, he would have destroyed everything. Reinfecting Zero would cause just that. Not that he is completely clean now, but... You should have realized before who the professor is. Still, I trust you know now. Viny is there mainly for comic relief, but I might just have some intricate dark plan for him. And you just saw Zero's 'pet'. Not exactly impressive, but appearances can be deceiving. If you think who Nephar's creator is...

**To bluepaladin42.: **Bingo! You got it too one chapter before the official declaration. Wily did not assist Light directly, but Light took what I call 'megaman factor' from the original megaman's designs. That would explain why Light never made an army of bots to fight Wily. Megaman was unique and almost impossible to replicate, the result of their combined efforts.

**To Ragnax: **It's Gate alright, although he has a personal agenda. I try to eliminate all errors, but sometimes spellcheckers won't do any good. English not being my first language never helps, too. I hope this chapter is up to you expectations.

**To robonyanya:** Oh, somebody from IRA's flock! Welcome, welcome. I'm glad you like my originals. The first chapters are a mess and need rewriting/polishing, which I'll do... sometime. In fact, the first two chapters are revised and posted on Mediaminer, but I'm still not sure I'll keep them as a final form...

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this new installment. The next thing I'll update will probably be my X story or perhaps the random shorts. Stay tuned and keep these reviews coming.


	25. Magma core

After a criminally long break, you can at last enjoy the next chapter of this story, know as:

**-c-c-**

**Chapter 25: Magma core**

The four escapades went to resume their search for a means of escape, but instinctively turned around as one, a profound and echoing banging sound filling the large maintenance station. Just in time to witness the heavily armored gates they had just passed through and sealed, wavering and distorting. More rhythmic pounding followed, a lump starting to develop in the middle of the solid metal surface, the fortified alloy straining to endure the assault.

Bernard and Max, less experienced and easily astonished, could only stare in disbelief at what was apparently the product of the Golem's fists. Michael managed to retain his composure, gracing the spectacle with a deep frown, while their unknown guide's reaction was well hidden behind his helmet.

"Not a moment to lose!" bellowed the black giant promptly. "These bastards will break through any minute now, so move ON!"

The harsh words and their intensity that resounded above the pummeling sounds, seemingly released the three reploids from their stupor and they hurried to follow, knowing very well that to tarry would mean certain death. They soon reentered a network of narrow corridors, apparently running parallel with a great sealed tunnel that was meant to move large vehicles from the nearby hangar area to the maintenance chamber they had just left behind.

"We are almost there" exclaimed the sniper, wanting to both bolster his two companion's hopes and draw power himself. However, he had to slow down and almost stop his mad rush as two Pantheon hunters leaped in their way and leveled their identical busters. "Damn, we are unarmed" he hissed, turning to the mysterious member of their party.

The black-armored reploid had other designs in mind. "Speak for yourselves!" he shouted, much like a battle cry, as he extended his hands towards their two foes, now just ready to shoot at them. Large orange blades of energy erupted from his wrists, their emitters apparently build in his gauntlet armor. Hardly stopping, he slashed with both weapons twice at each foe, respectively severing their busters and heads.

As they pressed on, they encountered more enemies, drones that were fortunately isolated and thus easily dispatched by the ebony armored warrior. At long last, they reached the hangar they sought and paused to admire the sight.

If the previous chamber was large, this one was gigantic. No workers were in sight, the place probably evacuated as the party drew nearer, but there was also an unnerving lack of enemies. Instead, vehicles of many types dominated their vision, from lightweight ride-chasers to scout ships to transport gravi-choppers to large, low-orbit shuttles. They soon started running along the flyers, this time Michael leading the way and trying to decide on what he could pilot easier. He soon stopped before a medium-sized all-purpose shuttle that was easily navigable, versatile enough to outfly most of the other vehicles in either altitude or speed and outfitted with basic battle equipment.

Hardly hesitating, the sniper sprinted to its side, reaching the shuttle's deck ramp and pressing the door's controls. Only to swear as it prompted for a password he was evidently unaware of. The stranger approached determined, probably intending to force the stubborn thing open, but stopped when a hand touched his shoulder.

"The shuttle can't fly if you tear the bloody door from its hinges" claimed Max, sounding amused despite their situation. "Give me some seconds" he added, reaching for the input pad. "I know a bit about security". The scientist's index shifted, a thin wire coming from the finger and touching the device, then seemingly melting in it.

Several seconds passed and the tallest of the four stepped forward, clearly intending to shove Max aside and 'converse' with the door his own way. Mercifully, the portal's safety gave in, all four of them rushing inside and making a beeline for the cockpit.

Michael promptly turned to the controls, sighing in relief as he recognized their function and recalled his pilot lessons. "I need two minutes to warm the engines" he declared before anybody could ask. "We have enough fuel to get us far away from here. Our only problem now is getting out" he added, pointing forward.

Before them, they could see a grant opening, leading outside. Flying vehicles were very maneuverable and most needed little space to take off. The opening was carved directly on the side of Neo-Arcadia's outer walls and was currently sealed by a wide energy field. In cases of emergency, an armored leaf of metal would slide and completely seal the hangar, but the energy field was mainly there to prevent unauthorized ships from entering. Michael soon found he could shut it off temporarily any time from the shuttle's controls.

One minute before they could leave, Michael's heart sank. A large squad of pantheons entered the chamber and started sprinting towards their position. "Are you any good with turrets?" he asked, but the question was merely rhetoric, as both Bernard and the black armored reploid were already moving towards the two gunner posts. It soon became a game of time, seconds crawling by at snail's pace and energy turrets trying to maim the pantheons fast enough to keep them away. More enemies would pour in, seemingly two for every one they incapacitated, but Bernard and their guide somehow managed to stem the tide competently.

Michael intended to wait another thirty seconds for the engines to reach optimal state, but the next event forced his hand and the shuttle accelerated forward, towards the opening to freedom. An opening whose lid had mercilessly started to slide downwards. At that point he nearly made the mistake, he nearly forgot to deactivate the energy field. His hand flew at the controls at the last possible moment, transmitting the command just before the shuttle's tip could crush on the wall of force. A moment later the shuttle flew out of the opening and into the dark blue night sky, out of the grant megalopolis and above the sandy wastelands.

**-c-c-**

"Stop, Axl! Please! Don't hurt yourself any more! Please, listen to me!"

Before his brain could even process the sound, he knew who the owner of the voice was. It felt like a billion years, but he knew he would never forget that voice, a voice that would often startle him during missions, a voice he had learned to trust.

He turned abruptly and saw exactly the one he expected. She was almost as tall as he, her light, green and blue armor and her black bodysuit exactly as he remembered. Her childlike face, crowned by blond hair and a somewhat eccentric headpiece, was filled with worry, just like the times he would return battered from the battlefield.

"Palette..?" he whispered, his own voice sounding foreign to him. "What are you doing here?" he asked weakly.

The girl-like operator reached for him, grabbing his injured hands gently but firmly. "You were hurting yourself" she explained quietly, staring at the blooded appendages. Axl winced a bit as pain registered in his mind, then blushed when he remembered he was without his armor. Palette reached down, her lips touching, then kissing his injured knuckles and he almost leaped in astonishment as all pain vanished. When he looked again, his self-inflicted wounds were nowhere to be seen.

"Palette..." he repeated, this time feeling nausea gnawing at his consciousness.

The navigator smiled a bit, her finger touching his lips and silencing him. "As your navigator and friend, I must make sure you stay safe" she claimed. Her smile faltered. "You have been hurting a lot all these years, haven't you?" she asked, her voice almost desperate. "The Elf Wars and the century that followed. So many friends lost, so many things changed, so many battles."

"N-not really" stuttered the redhead, but he once again felt tears running down his face.

Palette's smile returned and she closed her eyes, gripping his hands tighter. "Stay here" she whispered. "Stay here with me and you won't have to suffer any more. All pain will go away, all worries will vanish..."

Axl blinked, then a grin came to his face. Stay with her. Why not. Stay with a good friend, forget the present, be happy. Then his eyes went wide. "No..." he whispered, then repeated louder "No, I can't."

The navigator opened her eyes and regarded Axl curiously. "Why not?" she inquired. "Why not end the pain?"

Axl rose to his feet and turned his back to the reploid. "Even if so much is lost" he explained "Even if you and so many others are missing, I can still believe I can make this world a better place. And I still have friends that need me."

The black tiger tensed a bit as twin hands embraced him from behind. "I knew that would be your choice" came the gentle response and Axl felt hot tears touching his shoulder's skin. "You just don't know when to give up. That is what I always admired in you, Axl. Do live well."

"I..." he started, turning abruptly, but Palette was nowhere to be seen. The redhead blinked a few times, but turned again as a different voice sounded from behind him.

"So, you are still here Axl" came the solemn, bitter words.

**-c-c- **

"_Everything set"_ came the voice from his comm. and Zero couldn't help but sigh in relief. _"I have hacked into the Neo-Arcadian link successfully. They won't notice we have occupied this factory unless somebody comes to check."_

"We still need to take over the facility, Ciel" reminded Bianka and a sigh came from said Resistance leader.

"_Be careful, Bianka, Zero"_ she voiced tentatively. "_And thank your little companion on my behalf. His help has been invaluable."_

"We will be fine" replied Zero in a neutral tone. "After we signal Colbor's team to move, we will continue to the facility's core to take over" he added, then closed the channel, hardly expecting a retort. "Do you read me Colbor?" he asked after altering the frequency.

"_Loud and clear, Zero" _came the response. _"Everybody here itches for some action" _ he continued.

"_Damn right!"_shouted a different voice Zero recognized as Isis. The red hunter merely slapped a hand on his face while Bianka continued.

"Communications are down, so have no fear of setting off an alarm. Start the operation and have fun, boys and girls!" she ordered and a cheer answered her.

"You seem joyful" noted Zero, his mouth barely curving upwards. Bianka blushed a bit.

"I'm just happy I've been entrusted with such an important mission" she stammered meekly. "And working next to a legendary hero is very exciting" she added hesitantly.

"A legendary hero..." echoed the crimson warrior and a frown replaced the smile.

**Oh, the woes of fame, **mocked the voice in Zero's head and he mentally ordered it to kindly shut up.

"That Zero you talk about..." he started, turning away from the white ninja and towards the door "that 'legendary hero' is not really me. Perhaps he was me and perhaps he will again become me, but for now I'm just myself" he finished.

Bianka sighed, eyeing her companion sadly, then following his lead, together with the green-capped metool.

**-c-c-**

Colbor turned off his comm. then regarded the rest of his companions. Since their objective was to occupy the factory and vacate it of any security mechaniloids not directly controlled by the complex's center, the Resistance commander had brought with him a considerable force. Twenty Resistance reploids were to stay behind as back-up, while the rest of them, forty seasoned members of Colbor's team, would storm the outer and inner defenses. Since Neo-Arcadia never intended to reclaim the factory, many security mechaniloids had been given AI independent from the complex's mainframe, making the mission quite daunting.

Colbor smiled, despite his very realistic doubts, when he regarded the 'special' additions to his team. Bolthor's blunt gray armor was quite an encouraging sight, for Colbor had seen him in action and knew that, while the former bounty hunter was no ancient legend, his battle prowess was way above average. The gray warrior seemed eager and ready to take the whole factory by himself. Just above his head, two lights would circle, very much like irked hornets. Isis and Siri, their white and iridescent glows the only sources of light in the unused sewer shaft, seemed to be equally ready for the task ahead, even though the second would never confess as much.

"You heard them, everybody" exclaimed the commander, not bothering to keep his voice down. "Let's get this mission started!"

No more than two minute later, forty-two reploids and two cyber-elves were basking under the moonless night, carefully examining their surroundings. This time Colbor did choose to remain silent, motioning his unit forward. They effortlessly jumped over the factory's fence and into the patrolled area and pressed on, still undetected. That, however was bound to change soon, specifically when one of the security drones that Zero and Bianka had previously evaded, spotted the large team. The missile-like mechaniloid reacted fast, shutting down the shield disk on its tip and channeling its energy into a sizable bolt that went flying towards the thick of Colbor's troops. They attempted to dodge, but then a black, glowing fist intercepted the shot, deflecting it away harmlessly. Bolthor's feet soon touched the ground after his leap and he smiled victoriously.

"Some warming up is never bad" exclaimed the gray warrior and a blast came as an answer as multiple energy shots reduced the drone to atoms.

Many more mechaniloids followed and Colbor's team was proven to be up to the task. Siri and Isis would fly forward, effortlessly avoiding the friendly fire coming from behind and thinning the incoming ranks, many mechaniloids falling to the ground lifeless after the fae had fried their inner workings. As for Bolthor, he took it upon himself to cover everybody else, decimating any enemy that would somehow survive the thick volley of energy shots. His protective shield flickering to life any time it was needed, he would literally punch the hapless mechaniloids into metal scraps, cheap material yielding easily under his energy-enhanced fists.

The battle went on for minutes and Colbor started to believe the whole mission was going to be easier than he thought, when a cry from one of his solders caused him to abruptly turn.

"Incoming at nine o'clock, sir. It seems like a flock of floppers."

Colbor involuntarily shuddered, for he had learned from Ciel's report that Neo-Arcadia had started deploying the dangerous and formerly banned mechaniloids. He had seen their blueprints and had read their capabilities, but actually seeing them for real was a different matter altogether. And now, the swarm of floppers Zero had tricked earlier that night was almost upon them.

To his credit, Colbor reacted fast. "Back-up team, snipe flock of floppers closing on our position!" he demanded, his comm. relying the order to the troops left behind. Seconds later, he allowed himself to sigh in relief as an explosion came from the closing mechaniloids, more following promptly afterwards.

Sadly, the floppers were just too many to be taken down fast enough. Some of them defied the precise fire meant to detonate them and continued on, accelerating out of the cloud of smoke and fire lingering in the air and approaching the occupied battle team. Many were forced to redirect their fire towards the closing bombs, leaving Bolthor and the elves with as many enemies as they could handle.

Finally, a mere two floppers reached Colbor's team, still capable of decimating the tightly packed group. Many wisely turned tail, fleeing to different directions, and the orange balls simply picked a direction and followed. One of them was detonated by a lucky shot, still injuring five reploids unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast, while the second, by some twist of fate, chose to target Colbor himself. The Resistance commander tried to shoot it down with his energy rifle, but at such close range the flopper easily altered its course to avoid the frantic fire. As a last resort, Colbor ignited his energy axe, opting to use the weapon as a shield and absorb at least a part of the explosion. Holding it before his face, he shut his eyes bracing for what could easily be a fatal hit.

**-c-c- **

"What do you mean 'they stole a shuttle'?" demanded a positively enraged voice.

The reploid at the receiving end of the transmission was particularly glad he didn't have to face Copy X's wrath in person.

"We did not expect them to be so capable" responded Fefnir meekly, the otherwise bold guardian cowering under the condemning, albeit remote, voice of the flawed copy.

Said voice lost its ferocity and suddenly turned calm, as calm as a tiger ready to leap at its victim. "Nobody will escape from Neo-Arcadia's prisons, guardian Fefnir" he continued, perfectly calm. If nothing else, the change unnerved the red warrior even more, causing him to involuntarily shudder. "You will use any means possible in order to terminate this ragtag band of mavericks. Do I make myself clear?"

Fefnir nodded vigorously, then slapped a hand on his face in frustration. Before he could acknowledge the command, the Copy of X had left the channel.

"Bad news commander?" purred a sultry female voice, its owner standing at an entirely unprofessional distance.

Fefnir allowed himself a smile. After Copy X's presence was lifted, he felt his spirits soaring. "Not really, Anubis" he replied, working hard to both ignore the jackal reploid's attitude and to avoid looking at her very unflattering face. "On the contrary, we will finally get some action. Some goons managed to break out of their cages and we get to discipline them. Gather three Jin'en divisions. The fools need some practice anyway."

"As you wish, master Fefnir" came the response from the other reploid, her body virtually in contact with her lord's. "A date it is" she whispered to him with gusto.

Fefnir rolled his eyes. "Really, Anubis, you should stop talking to my sister. Leviathan just keeps rubbing off on you..."

The Jackal reploid swiftly pecked at her general's cheek, causing Fefnir to assume a quite mortified visage, then took off swiftly, floating away.

The red general could only shake his head. Opening his comm. again, he coughed, assuming his most commanding voice. "This is general Fefnir speaking. Prepare to launch a medium ground-to-air homing missile. I'll be at the command center in three minutes and everything must be ready."

Ignoring the operator's response, he started walking in long strides, the hints of a smile still on his face. He did feel a bit sorry about his prey, but most of all he felt excited. He had remained idle for entirely too long for his tastes.

**-c-c- **

"So, you are still here Axl..."

Said reploid froze as soon as his eyes met a pair of green orbs staring at him from a very familiar and very embittered face.

"X?" he muttered at length. "What are you...?"

"You never fulfilled your promise, Axl" responded X, interrupting him. "You promised you will bring Zero back, you promised you would persuade him not to seal himself."

"I tried to" said Axl, his eyes lowered, his face grim. "I tried to but I was too late to stop him and too weak to save his body. But..."

X all but ignored him. "I waited for a long time, Axl. A century is a long time and I was alone. As the months became years, I started losing hope. And now look at the world. Utopia became nightmare. A cruel copy uses my name to kill."

"It's not my fault" complained the black tiger, all but yelling. "It's not..." he muttered.

X made an about face, turning his back to Axl. "Everybody regarded me as their hero and their leader. Everyone praised my battle and leadership skills. And yet nobody cared for the real me. Nobody would really befriend a 'legend'" he exclaimed bitterly, practically spitting the last word.

At first Axl had nothing to say. He merely sat on the plain, white ground feeling miserable and guilty, mindlessly staring at his friend's and mentor's back. But then something clicked in his head, something rebelled against his state of mind. He hopped on his legs again, reaching for X and laying a hand on the older reploid's shoulder.

"There is still time" he exclaimed. "We are still alive!"

X tilted his head and threw him a half-amused glance. "Are we?" he simply asked with bitter irony.

Axl smiled in response. "There is always hope, X. It is one of the things you taught me. You never gave up, whatever the odds might have been. I won't disappoint you, I won't give up either."

"I see" replied X and this time his smile was sincere, as if a weight was lifted from his shoulders. "That's more like the Axl I know. Totally irresponsible but also determined. I hope we can meet again soon, kid. For real, that is..."

Axl cocked a brow. "What do you mean 'for real'" he inquired, but X simply faded away, disappearing with a smile still on his face.

"Figures you wouldn't be smart enough to know, prototype."

Axl snapped his head to the left, a grimace of hatred on his features. "You!" he bellowed enraged.

**-c-c- **

A wave of heat and hurt washed over Colbor and he kept his eyes closed, expecting the worst. When his body failed to register any real damage, he opened them again, only to see a gray-armored back. Bolthor discarded the still burning remains of the large drone he had used as a shield, savagely bashing them on an unfortunate pantheon guardian that had come too close for comfort.

"It seems the rumors about you being an unlucky commander hold some water" he mused, his hand reaching forward and grabbing a robotic guard dog by the neck, right at the peak of its leap. The canine squirmed around frantically, futilely trying to bite the gray warrior, but he used his other hand to bash half of its head off its body.

"That's not true!" complained Colbor, his energy axe swiping madly and biting at a pantheon hunter's side. "Statistically, I'm the commander with the second best success to mission ratio" he added, sidestepping to avoid a shot and trying hard to disentangle his weapon.

Bolthor raised a brow while using the dead mutt in his hand as both a shield and a club, blocking an energy baton and knocking three pantheons off their feet with a wild arcing motion. "Who is the first?" he inquired, discarding the carcass and dashing to neutralize the dazed but still functional drones.

Colbor managed to draw his axe back, only to send it forward again, this time severing the X-droid in half. "His name was Milan" he added sadly. "We lost him when Ciel found Zero."

Bolthor stomped on the last of the three pantheon's head, then stopped to consider his commander's words. "I'm sorry..." he added meekly.

Colbor shook his head, a hint of a smile on his face. "Milan was like a father to most of us. But if he could see us grieving over his death, he would be taunting us as if there was no tomorrow. "

The bold warrior smiled too, then frowned, scanning his immediate area. A handful of Resistance members was lying on the ground, injured but fortunately alive. And the only thing that remained of the drone guard were ugly heaps of burning materials. "It seems we won for now" he offered, sounding somewhat disappointed.

Colbor ignored him, calling the backup unit that saved them minutes before. Expertly, he switched the most injured soldiers with fresh ones, left a couple of medics behind to tend to them and hurried forward. They soon reached the factory's gates, huge and solid slabs of metal that could withstand anything but the strongest of artillery. Fortunately, they were wide open and inactive, Ciel's wit and Zero's skill succeeding were weapons of mass destruction could not.

Just before the entrance, Colbor addressed his subjects. "Ok, ladies and gents. Our mission is plain 'search and destroy'. We need to make sure the place is safe for our technicians, then we need to help Zero reach the core. The main security systems are down, courtesy of Dr. Ciel, but there is still battle to be fought."

"Charge!" screamed a particularly slim voice, Isis taking point and floating forward while pulling a very reluctant Siri along.

The mechaniloids that remained inside, never really stood a chance. Pantheons, cannonhoppers and spiderbots alike would try to hold the Resistance back, futilely, as their numbers were small and with the security center down they lacked any semblance of cooperation. Colbor's unit cleaned the first floor easily, then stopped before the stairs leading to the next one.

"There seems to be an active security device there" warned Siri, indicating a contraption lodged just below the ceiling.

The rainbow-colored elf, despite her accurate observation, was too late. Before she could finish her sentence, a crude eye flashed red on said contraption and a fraction of a second later the factory seemingly came to life. Wild sirens started blaring and every light source assumed a reddish hue, causing everybody to tense.

As soon as the alarm started, Zero and Bianka's weapons seemingly appeared in their hands.

"I thought we disarmed the security system" muttered Zero, eyeing his surroundings wearily.

Bianka, her two red daggers firmly held, nodded. "What happened, Dr. Ciel?" she asked after hastily turning on her communicator.

"_Some backup system I could not trace, I fear." _Came the answer, the young scientist trying her best to sound calm and collected. _"Still, Neo-Arcadia will have no way to learn about this. It is more a show that a real alarm and..."_

Not letting Ciel to finish, the green metool bumped on Bianka's leg, demanding her attention.

"Warning!" is said, its voice still mechanical, but this time with a hint of urgency. "This unit's sensors have confirmed the inner gate leading to the core has started to descend. Haste is encouraged in order to meet the mission's objectives."

Zero and Bianka both looked at Nephar in astonishment, but regained their wits instantly, dashing forward at top speed. None of them paid attention to the fact that the weird metool matched their pace with ease.

Ignoring the stairs leading downstairs, they dashed through a narrow corridor and ended up in a large gallery. At the opposite side of the chamber, a massive, insanely thick blast door was slowly sliding downwards. And in the middle of the room, a large group of pantheons was already shooting at them.

Nephar never slowed down. Reaching its maximum velocity, it withdrew inside its green cap, inertia causing it to slide through the enemy ranks with all the subtlety of a bowling ball, sending many witless drones flying.

Zero passed through half the X-droid lines, leaving ruin in his wake, then leaped high, exchanging his saber for his triple rod. Just before he could land behind the last of the pantheons, he fired his rod backwards, using the drone as a springboard. His backside barely touching the floor, he proceeded to slide under the descending barrier.

Bianka danced around most of the pantheons until one of them somehow managed to thrust its energy baton squarely at her face. She easily dodged, losing precious time in the process. With few options left, she dashed forward, avoiding a second attack, her hand clasping the pantheon's neck. Allowing her legs to leave the ground, she twisted around the dazed drone once, using its neck as her axis and breaking it in the process, then let go, catapulting herself forward. She hit the ground a meter before the metal slab's end, attempting to slide the rest of the distance but knowing she hardly had time.

"Hurry up" bellowed a voice from behind her and she complied. Half running, half crawling, she cleared the last of the distance, noticing that the gate was lowering a bit slower now. Just before it reached the floor, producing a loud thump, she caught the image of Bolthor letting go of it.

"Are you alright?" asked Zero concerned, extending a helping hand.

"I'll live" she replied dizzily, accepting the help and rising to her feet. "How are we going to open this thing?" she inquired after checking her surroundings.

Zero tried his comm. a couple of times, but soon gave up. "I guess we can open it if we reach the core" he offered, this time not sounding particularly concerned.

The trio soon reached a large elevator and started going downwards. The change was almost immediate, as the temperature started rising rapidly and a strong smell of sulfur covered any other olfactory signal.

"Since the core was locked down, this unit's masters will have to take an alternate route" droned Nephar, its eyes moving from one reploid to another.

Zero braced himself for the worst. "What exactly is this 'alternative route', Nephar?"

"Through the magma vats, of course, master Zero" it replied, as naturally as if it was talking about yesterday's weather.

**-c-c- **

An energy-encased fist landed once again on the hard surface, producing a remarkable dent but nothing more substantial. Bolthor grunted in annoyance. "This damnable door is just too thick" he complained, even as he coiled back for another strike.

Colbor winced as the blow caused all immediate surfaces to resonate. "At least you were able to momentarily hold the thing" he replied, shaking his head. "Nothing would survive getting crashed like that."

As on cue, the two cyber-elves came out of the wall. "It's no use" growled Isis. "The field around the core is huge and as stubborn as a million volts. We have no way to pass" she added enraged.

Siri also shook her head disappointed. "What's more, the gate's controls are beyond the field. We can only wait."

Disappointment spread like wildfire in a summer noon throughout Colbor's ranks. The commander himself felt particularly useless at that point. Before he could conjure a plan, Isis' voice resounded again, this time thoroughly frustrated. "What was that blond chick doing anyway!" she demanded. "She was supposed to shut down the security and she screwed up!"

The following hit, curtsey of Siri, almost knocked the white cyber-elf off the air. "Dr. Ciel is doing her best!" cried her companion. "Don't blame her for things beyond her control!" she added, her aura flaring wildly.

Isis glared. "What matters is that Zero is currently in there and we can't help him" she added solemnly, still a bit dazed.

That was enough to cause Siri to calm down, descending and gently touching the floor. "Please be safe, Zero" she muttered to herself, her tiny hands coming together in prayer.

**-c-c- **

"Jump!" ordered Zero and he, Bianka and Nephar leaped at the same time, landing on the worker droid's load.

The flying mechaniloid was hardly affected, since said load was far heavier than the trio. Levitating above a huge pool of boiling lava, it was in charge of constantly moving the thermal rods that converted heat to energy from their point of creation to their point of use. Since such rods were in need of constant recycling, the mechaniloid would ceaselessly fly to and fro, to satisfy the demands of its programming.

Even though the molten metal below them was covered by a special field that would only let a fraction of heat to pass through, Bianka could still feel her face burning any time she glanced downwards. She tried very hard not to think about what a drop would feel like.

In contrast, Zero was calm, albeit still alert. Occasionally, he would fire a second level charge from his buster, taking care of the meager security drones, mainly spiderbots that were too slow to notice them. Sometimes his eyes would fall on Nephar that rested just beside his leg and he would slightly frown.

**Quite a sight that metool**, mused what he had come to call as 'the Voice'. **Really complex systems. I'm curious about its origin.**

Zero rose a brow. _So you don't trust it, either, do you? _he mentally inquired.

The voice shrugged.**Not any less than I trust the rest of your 'friends', squire. It's just puzzling to meet it like that. **

The red warrior smiled. _So, your advice is to trust no one? _He chuckled. _Quite a paranoid perspective. I mean, why should I trust you in the first place?_

**Quite a healthy perspective, if I do say so myself. You need to spend years with somebody to really trust them. You can never be sure when they will stab you in the back. And of course you shouldn't trust me either, kid. At least not any more than you trust the rest.**

_Aren't you a wily old coot_, mused Zero and the voice performed the mental equivalent of a wince.

After a while he continued. **Anyway, what about that Bianka girl. Surely she has some skill, but she might drag you down in a pinch.**

Zero frowned. _Or she might drag me OUT of a pinch. And also, having somebody else around might help me... help me retain control, _he added hesitantly, remembering what had happened during the fight with Maha.

No answer was forthcoming and soon the trio reached the end of the road. Jumping off the mechaniloid, they landed on a small platform and went up another level.

"Warning" started Nephar once again. "This unit's masters should be aware that the next corridor houses intense security measures that include high energy emitters. Caution is advised."

Both reploids nodded and pressed on...

**-c-c- **

The pantheons pointed their busters forward while their target, a civilian reploid of no remarkable design, shied away as if trying to squeeze itself through the wall his back was at. A flash filled the world and the two drones fell lifelessly on the ground, devoid of energy. A sphere of blue light zapped past the reploid that had yet to realize his fortune, and vanished into the wall.

**-c-c- **

Two reploid soldiers found themselves colliding with a wall, their faces housing a quite unflattering expression. Their former pray, a team of three minor Resistance members, was too busy fleeing to appreciate either the density of said energy wall that vanished shortly after or a blue flash that streaked through the nearby bionic vegetation.

**-c-c- **

The Resistance soldier tightened his grasp on his rifle, his eyes scanning his surroundings. Summoning his courage, he abruptly turned around, weapon poised. What he saw was a Neo-Arcadian spiderbot lying just behind him, apparently deactivated. The next thing that caught his attention was what seemed to be a cyan shooting star.

**-c-c- **

_You must recover your strength, Zero. You must become strong enough to correct my failings, to do what I'm currently unable to. I'm doing my best, but my best is just not good enough..._

X continued floating at top speed, his actions a drop of water in the ocean, but sincere enough.

**-c-c- **

The door before them opened automatically and they proceeded in a long narrow corridor, featuring an identical portal to its opposite side.

"Warning!" chirped Nephar, its voice breaking the lingering silence. "This unit's sensors indicate a massive energy source straight ahead. This unit theorizes there is a guardian posted ahead to hinder the masters' progress to the core."

Zero stopped on his tracks, inhaling deeply. "Are you both ready?" he asked some seconds later.

"Sure thing" replied Bianka, her dagger already ignited, her voice revealing concentration.

"Affirmative" replied Nephar, although its voice was as neutral as possible.

The crimson warrior nodded, then all three walked through the last gate in unison.

**-c-c- **

And here ends the most late chapter up to date. Although I won't promise a fast update, I believe the next chapter, which will include the hydra boss battle, of course, will be ready sooner than this one. Also, for further questions, suggestions, comments or plain chitchat you can contact me at Aria6's forum, a link for which can be found in my profile.

**To PhiloWorm:**Emulators? No, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. You CAN'T mail me to ask about emulators :D Give Nephar more personality? You have no idea what I have in stock for that nephrite metool! Appearances can be deceiving. As for new Ocs, I have already planned the next couple or so. Feel free to mail me suggestions, though, as always, I promise nothing. You don't know what El hazard is? That's ok, I have really weird tastes :)

**To bluepaladin42**: I fear you had to wait entirely too long, but better late than never they say. W00t for metools indeed.

**To Wolf Hawk Vulcan:** Nephar is more of a spy, of course, but he is reasonably loyal to Zero. I hope you approve of Axl's adventures in this chapter.

**To yamiangie:**Everybody is welcome to the bar thread. Orson needs the funds anyway. Don't worry, Cinnamon might still get a cameo. Or more. I know Axl's armor is most likely 'navy blue' but for me it is far closer to black.

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** Alive is an overstatement. I'm a bit undead right now... After the subtle Star Wars easter eggs, how could I leave Star Trek outside? Next on, Babylon 5 :D

**To DemonBredChild:**I always triple-check, but some things, mainly similar words, often elude me. I have thought of trying to find a proofreader, but I'm very pensive about such prospect for... many reasons.

**To DarkEcho-in-the-sky: **Glad to have new readers on board!

**To maverickhunter9:**Of course he is XD You have no idea how many plotholes the games have. Just trying to cover all that is a neat challenge.

**To comnerd: **Thanks for the praise. My first and foremost concern IS the plot and I'm glad it seems to be working. As for my English aptitude, I hope it keeps getting a bit better with every chapter. I try to explain the X series elements as much as possible, but you are right, sometimes I do get carried away a bit.

**To isisi2k2**: I don't mind reviewers that are late. I myself am notorious of late reviews. Wily after the classic series is an almost untouched subject in fanfiction. There are hints all over the games, though... Unfortunately, I left you at the boss' threshold. Literally. I always like to have boss battles in exclusive chapters.

**To Razorwind:**Welcome on board too. Ciel growing up with the guardians is one of the few things I'm really proud of. My reasoning was that Ciel had to be close to X to even attempt to make a copy. Whoops, yes that kind of error is rather ridiculous. I'll have to fix these things... sometime.

**To nameless:**Satisfied readers make a storyteller happy!

**To BassXXM: **However irregular, this story will continue, have no fear.

**To Fate: **I might not be writing huge, tiny-chaptered exe stories, but yes 180 plus reviews is truly an honor. As for Zero's hibernation site, it's one of the most multifaceted plotholes of the Zero series. Placed 18K meters below ground, for example. The best explanation I can think of right off the bat is that Weil had no reason to return, Light had no better place, staying around during the Virus purge would be dangerous, etc. The protection might have been passive, but it's all about camouflage. If you don't know something is there, elaborate offence might attract you rather than repel you. As for the fire chip, I'll do the same I did with the thunder chip. Incoming log file!

**To creator168: **As per your wish, behold this new chapter! And welcome, of course.

That's all for now, folks. Be so kind as to leave a review!


	26. Eight heads sitting on a wheel

**Chapter 26: Eight heads sitting on a wheel**

**-c-c-**

"Figures you wouldn't be smart enough to know, prototype."

The familiar voice caused Axl to tense, like so many tigers before the lethal jump. He snapped to his left and his eyes confirmed his fears. The white armor, the purple hair, the green finishing, there could be no doubt. Axl's hand moved on its own, first trying to take aim with a weapon he obviously lacked, then reaching forward towards the enemy, trying to grab at the wild, wide grin, trying to claw out the orange dilated eyes.

"You!" he bellowed enraged. "Lumine!" he added snarling, as said new generation reploid hopped out of the feeble attack's path.

The laugh that came as an answer possessed a unique quality, dripping sarcasm and mockery. "Really, prototype, is this how you greet me? Why, we are almost brothers! What do you intend? Drowning me in grief?"

Axl let out a feral snarl, ready to disembowel the reploid before him with his bare hands. "I'm no brother of yours, maverick scum!" he spat.

Beyond any probability, Lumine's grin grew even wider. Stroking his chin in contemplation, he regarded Axl from head to toe. "Really now?" he all but chuckled.

Axl remembered at that point that he wore nothing more than his own skin. Self-consciousness getting the better of him, he glanced downwards. His first thought was one of relief, since his armor was once again present. His second thought, though, was one of denial. The armor he wore shared the same colors with Lumine's armor and while he felt untold power surging through his systems, he also realized the meaning behind his enemy's words.

"I'm nothing like you!" he bellowed. "I killed you! Then I killed you again when you possessed me! I got rid of you!"

The grin failed to falter. "You can't merely discard me as a worn garment, prototype. You can hold me back, sure, but I'll always be a part of you. Evolution will still commence, one way or another. Rejoice for you might yet play a part in it."

Axl felt his teeth grinding against each other. "I'll never let you use me again. Never! I'd rather die and take you down with me!"

Lumine extended his hands forward in welcoming fashion. "When the time comes, brother, I doubt you'll have the guts" he offered, almost gleefully.

Axl's cry of rage came just as his pistol materialized in his hand. When the trigger was pulled, the white-armored maverick made no effort to dodge. While his head violently jerked backwards, assuming a pretty unnatural angle, his body remained unaffected. The black tiger stood very still, gun still poised and ready.

Lumine slowly restored his head to its original position and once again grinned. A charred hole decorated his forehead, the shot apparently hitting it dead center. Instead of blood, sand started falling from the gruesome wound, partly obscuring his unearthly face.

"The time will come, prototype, brother, child. The time will come..." he declared, his voice fading away just as his figure did.

Axl felt hot sand falling on his face and his hand jerked to his forehead, encountering the same narrow hole he had just inflicted on his foe. Before he could let out a scream, a voice to his right demanded his attention.

"It's not like you to lose your cool like that, kid..."

**-c-c-**

As the two reploids and the metool passed through the doorframe, the gate behind them clamped shut with a tone of finality that bared nothing but ill will. The ominous sound was amplified tenfold, since the large chamber before them was silent. The long corridor they had just passed did a brilliant job buffering the blaring alarms that dominated the rest of the facility. The weak lights that failed to dispel most shadows and the all too familiar smell of aging circuitry did nothing to lighten the mood either.

Bianka felt her mind growing numb, wishing nothing more but to shout with all her might and scare away anything that might be lurking before them. Instead, her voice came as a whisper. "Is there anything here?"

The question was most likely addressed to Nephar. The green metool had proven that, if nothing else, its sensors were quite advanced. However, before the tiny mechaniloid could reply, Zero decided to voice his thoughts. "Whatever it is, it's right here, alright. I can sense it as much as it can sense us."

Zero made no effort to keep his voice low, knowing all too well they had been spotted as soon as they had entered the hall. Perhaps because of his declaration, the power plant's guardian chose to reveal itself. The room's lights grew brighter in an instant, chasing away shadows and doubt as their adversary came to plain sight.

Its torso, levitating close to the ceiling, was plain, resembling a mundane, thick wheel. Of course, its size and diameter, fully three times Zero's height, made it seem quite cumbersome. At first, the only other feature visible was eight long and thick rods, extending from the torso like rays from a star. Each opposite pair of rods was colored differently, although the spectators failed to appreciate that difference. Seconds after the giant mechaniloid came into sight, all eight of its appendages unfolded, becoming longer and flexible. At the end of each appendage, for all intents and purposes a neck, a metallic dragon head loomed, powerful jaws with sharp teeth bared.

As the central disk started floating towards the trio with unnerving speed and all eight heads, artificial eyes glowing, were ready to snap at them, Zero managed to utter a single phrase, although its origins were apparently lost in his past memories.

"Curses, a Hydragon mechaniloid!"

**-c-c-**

Axl stepped back, his face a peculiar mixture of fear, hopeless elation and disbelief. "R-red?" he whispered.

The taller reploid stood his ground, his arms crossed on his chest. His good eye seemed to assess his former protegee. "Long time, no see, Axl" he offered at length, as if that sentence was part of the idlest of chats.

"But you died!" blurted the black tiger, quite unnerved. "You died when the Crimson Palace collapsed, centuries ago!"

"Apparently, I got better" chuckled the other reploid, stopping when he realized his joke did nothing to affect Axl. Straightening his face, he regarded him intently. "Despite what they say, death is quite complicated. For us reploids even more so. When is a reploid truly dead? When the body explodes? When the memories are lost? When the control chip is crushed? When the DNA soul fades? When we are forgotten by everyone?"

Axl's mind slowly started grasping the situation, apparently only half his attention on his former mentor's words. Soon, mistrust filled his psyche, caution prevailing against the urge to rush and hug the closest he ever had to a father figure.

"Talk is cheap" he spat, still less violently than what he intended. "Red knew that very well. Even if you are him, what are you doing here?"

A sly grin dominated Red's face. "Even if you have changed so much, you still remain as sharp as ever. Come, then, show me how much you have grown."

Axl's eyes grew wide and he was forced to perform a rather hasty back-flip, engaging his thrusters in midair and hovering backwards. A double slash from Red's scythe ripped at the place the black hunter had been standing a tenth of a second before. Frowning, Axl called both pistols in his hands and started pelting Red with energy shots. Or, rather, the place the taller reploid used to be. A breath later, Axl had to kill his altitude rapidly, just in time to avoid being decapitated. The energy scythe licked the top of his hair. Red laughed aloud, following his first, high slice with a second, lower one. The weapon connected, but then his eyes grew wide. Instead of Axl, he had severed what appeared to be a large grenade. A still very active large grenade. Unable to dodge while still airborne, he promptly batted it away with his blade's blunt side, soon touching the ground and avoiding the explosion with only minor singeing.

Red stood still, trying hard to pierce the smoke that had filled his surroundings after the blast. A moment later, his eyes grew wide and he tried to jump out of the way. He was too late. A large reddish object emerged from seemingly nowhere with enough speed to completely dispel the smokescreen. The scythe user felt an intense stabbing pain at his abdomen, then went flying altogether, much like a rag doll facing a hurricane, landing painfully on his side.

Behind him, Axl touched the ground, having deployed his 'Harrier' form, red, golden and purple armor gleaming in the ambient light, majestic wings adorning his back and an energy-enhanced, blooded beak protruding from his helmet.

Red staggered to his feet, one hand on his injury, the other using his weapon as a cane. When he looked again, he was faced with one of Axl's rocket launchers, mounted on his extended arm. Beyond any of the hunter's expectations, he smiled.

"Very good, very good, indeed. Although you do seem a bit rusty. If you pick up the pace with your training, you won't need to use the data of those two again."

Axl simply stared, although his weapon was poised and his mark ever true. "Go on" continued the older reploid. "Keep making me proud. Although..." he added as his grin grew. "You really are a bit rusty. You completely forgot about my shadow clones."

Axl's eyes grew wide as a hand clapped him on the back. Turning around rapidly, he managed to glimpse at another Red, just as both figures vanished.

The voice that shortly followed was much less welcome. "What a moving scene. Why, I think my eyes went teary." It mocked and Axl's face darkened.

**-c-c-**

Zero leaped backwards frantically, just in time to avoid a pair of metallic jaws that tore at the floor instead. Wielding his buster, he barely managed to fire three shots at the extended neck before having to duck, avoiding the horizontal swing of a second neck that flailed above him. The third dragon head was luckier though, coming downwards like a mace and grazing him on the shoulder as he rolled away.

Bianka was having quite harder a time. As the first head lunged at her, she wisely stepped back and out of its immediate range. Or so she thought. The red head's jaws opened wide, revealing the business end of a flame-thrower, and a tongue of unnaturally hot fire leaped at her face. Ducking out of harm's way, the white ninja failed to notice a second head in time. The heavy but swift appendage performed a powerful swipe, almost touching the floor and batting her with its blunt side. Hitting a nearby wall painfully, Bianka hardly had time to collect her wits, rolling out of the way to avoid three vicious-looking bolts of electrically charged air that a third, this time green head breathed at her.

The two remaining heads targeted the third member of the party. Nephar leaped out of the way as the first head snapped at it, but the second, a blue one, moved faster, snatching the unfortunate metool in the air and holding it between its jaws. The smaller mechaniloid withdrew inside its green shell, attempting to endure the crashing power and was successful. After testing its metallic fangs against the hardhat and finding them inadequate, the Hydragon head spat Nephar out, emitting a cloud of extremely cold air and encasing the metool inside a big slab of ice.

"Are you ok?" asked Zero, just as Bianka rose to her feet, not without some effort.

"Just a bit surprised. This thing is fast" she responded, just before they both had to leap out of the way to avoid three very sharp sets of fangs. "What about Nephar?"

As on cue, the large, uneven block of ice that imprisoned the Metool cracked, then broke to pieces as Nephar jumped out of it.

"This unit is still close to one hundred percent capability. This unit's masters are advised to pursue a new strategy in order to face this opponent."

"We are working on it" retaliated Zero, a bit irritated, as he had to rapidly scale the wall to avoid two flame-throwing heads that wished to incinerate him. "Any suggestions?" The wall below him grew white hot and he felt the heat migrating upwards. Placing a foot against the vertical surface, he wall-jumped above the bursts of fire, landing on top of one of the red-tinted dragon heads and trying to secure a hold.

In the meanwhile, Bianka was attempting to outrace two electric-spitting appendages and their immaterial but still quite hazardous projectiles. The two green heads would alternatively snap or spit at her, but a smile had started developing in the place of her previous frown. She kept dancing around the two heads and was ready to dodge another barrage of attacks as she had done three times already. Instead of repeating the same evasion pattern, though, she extended her arm above her head, holding her hookgun steadily. A wire shot out, reaching the ceiling and attaching firmly. Her feet left the ground, a thunderbolt narrowly missing them, and she rose upwards.

"I can see the opening" she whispered to herself, extending her free arm forward and downwards and letting a hail of energy ninja stars from her second arm guard. The tiny red projectiles flew true at their intended target, hitting one of the green-tinted heads right at the point connecting it with its neck. Sparks flew from the appendage and it started quivering and twitching violently.

Before the white ninja could even think of congratulating herself, she noticed another, blue-lined Hydragon head attempting to bite her. It was marginally too late for her to dodge...

To say the red head Zero was riding wasn't too happy with the situation would be quite the understatement. The serpentine neck let out a mechanical roar and started thrashing wildly to and fro in an attempt to get rid of the unexpected passenger, but the red warrior held firmly. Clamping his legs around the neck, he unsheathed his saber and wielding it with both hands, he stabbed downwards and into the head. Using his blade as a lever, he violently moved it to the right with all the strength he could muster. The red head stirred sharply to the left, the open jaws crashing at the neck of another, orange-colored head and nearly biting it off. The second red head tried to snap at the crimson hunter, but he saw it coming in time. Passing his ignited saber behind his back, he severed the neck he was sitting on. The first red head, still clamped on the orange and silver neck, started falling and Zero deftly back-flipped just before it blew up. He landed on the neck of a very surprised second red head that apparently tried to bite a hole in the air.

"That's not too shabby..." he murmured, but then his developing grin waned as he saw Bianka hanging from her wire like bait for a fast approaching jaw.

Nephar also saw the nefarious position Bianka was in. "Oh no..." it muttered, too low to be heard, just as an orange head lunged at it. The metool leaped, landing on top of the dragon head, then leaped again before the orange appendage could crash on the floor. Nephar's feet touched the wall and it remained attached and withdrawn on the vertical barrier for almost a second, its green cap glowing eerily all the while. Then, with many orders of magnitude more power that an average metool would have mustered, it jumped off the wall, flying through the air like a small green comet and colliding with the side of the blue head that was ready to bite Bianka off her cable. Its energy enchanted top literally punched a hole through the blocky head and the green mechaniloid emerged from the other side, flipping in the air in the process. Reaching and barely touching the opposite wall, Nephar lunged at the head again, this time delivering a headbutt downwards as it passed from above, sending itself upwards while the Hydragon head crashed at the floor.

Bianka had been watching stupefied the whole three seconds, but as the metool passed by her, its aura apparently spent, she retained the presence of mind to catch it under her shoulder. Just in time to notice a second blue head rushing at them from below. Narrowing her eyes, she reached for her belt, mindful not to drop Nephar, and retrieved two black-hilted energy knives. Her fingers twitched once, sending one of them flying towards the wall. More importantly, it gave her and Nephar enough momentum to swing out of the head's way. The ice head passed right next to them and she held the second weapon ignited, carving a straight long cut at the neck that followed.

The wounded appendage slowed down, not quite dead, then started falling, intending to at least punish Bianka and Nephar by means of gravity. Zero, riding the second red head, spoiled the plan. As the two heads crashed on each other, then on a wall, he leaped off his perch, grabbing the wire inches from where the other two were. Their momentum brought them next to the same wall and he kicked hard, sending them towards the opposite direction just before the entangled heads above them could detonate. Bianka extended her wire at the apex of their swing, then released its hold on the ceiling, wire gun soon disappearing inside her belt.

As soon as they reached the floor, the three of them turned to regard their wounded adversary. Out of the eight heads, only two, an orange and a blue one, remained functional. Two more, an inanimate blue one with a very visible hole and a slightly twitching green one, were hanging from the main body rather pitifully. As for the rest appendages, they were now little more than shortened necks with burned ends.

"Just a little more and it's done" breathed Bianka, sounding obviously relieved. "Thanks for the save Nephar" she added, turning to the small mechaniloid.

The metool was apparently startled, twitching at the sound. "It was noth-" it started, but halted as if rethinking its words. "I mean... This unit is grateful, but this unit's masters are advised not to let their guards down yet" it rectified, talking a tad bit faster than usual.

Zero regarded Nephar curiously, raising a brow at the response, but he hardly had time to think or wonder. The Hydragon mechaniloid started spinning feverishly, then disengaged the damaged necks from its main torso, aiming towards the three companions. They hastily cleared the way, the detached machinery exploding where they had been standing a blink before. Startled by the seemingly desperate attack, they failed to realize it was merely a distraction. The Hydragon floated to the ceiling and twin slabs of metal withdrew to reveal complex machinery. A mass of metal beams filled with intriguing contraptions emerged, rapidly clamping at one of the Hydragon's empty neck sockets. It withdrew almost instantly to reveal a brand new dragon head that promptly uncoiled, roaring towards their general area. All three sets of eyes went wide as the mechaniloid's torso rotated and the rest of the heads were replaced in only a few seconds.

"I think we may have a problem..." muttered Zero, the first to regain his wits.

**-c-c-**

After twenty minutes of uneventful flight, Michael felt free to lower his guard and sigh relieved. Checking the shuttle's radar for any signs of pursuit, he engaged the autopilot, setting a course that would pass as far away as possible from any Neo-Arcadian outposts he had knowledge of, then slumped back in his seat, wiping the proverbial sweat off his brow.

"I think we are safe for now" he declared, turning to his companions. Max was apparently busy reading a status scan on one of the co-pilot's screens concerning the shuttle's technical aspects, while Bernard seemed quite spaced out, staring through one of the side's windows. As for the fourth reploid on board, he seemed busy scanning both his surroundings and his apparent partners, though only his red eyes were visible behind his black hideous helmet.

When all three acknowledged his words with only a nod, he decided it was time for introductions. Turning to face the black-armored reploid squarely, he let his mouth turn to a small smile. "We are grateful of your assistance" he started, having to try not to flinch away from the intimidating mask. "I'm Michael. I am, or rather used to be a B-class sniper in Neo Arcadia's Rekku army. These here are Bernard, still a warrior in training and Max, junior researcher" he added, looking expectantly.

The black warrior remained silent for what seemed an eternity, somewhat reluctant to take the cue, but then sighed. "My name in Morvex and my past in my own" he declared, his voice deep and echoing. "Don't be that fast to thank me, as I only wanted your knowledge as a pilot and nothing more. If you have to thank anybody, thank your luck" he continued, speaking rather rudely.

"Okay" replied Michael, ignoring Morvex's hostile tone. "Do you have any destination in mind" he inquired, rapping slightly at his temple. "We never had time to talk about this."

The black warrior seemed pensive for a while. "I never had time for a plan myself, but as I see it, we have two options. Either try to find a remote settlement where the Neo-Arcadian grasp is weak or try to find the Resistance. For now, we must put as much distance between Neo-Arcadia and ourselves as possible. Make no mistake, there **will** be pursuit" he responded, placing his hands on his helmet and slowly removing it. "For them, it will be a matter of principal."

His last sentence went quite unheard, as all three other sets of eyes were apparently glued on his now freed head. Michael was particularly surprised. He had expected a stern face, perhaps even as frightening as the mask hiding it. What he saw was the exact opposite. With a round face, fair complexion, cherry-red cheeks and blond, tussled hair, Morvex resembled a very young child more than anything else, his features very unbecoming of his large body. Even his voice had gone up a couple of octaves, his helmet apparently altering it to sound menacing. The only aspect of him that remained the same was his red eyes, whose angry glare was still rather intimidating.

"What? Is there something on my face?" he asked indignantly, causing everybody to stop staring, although he obviously expected that kind of reaction.

**-c-c-**

"Ok, let's think about this calmly" started Bianka, gracefully avoiding a burst of ultra-cold air. "We can hit the heads all we want, but that machine up there will replace them faster" she added as metal jaws clamped just below her feet.

Zero decided to follow that line of thought while severing an orange head's lower jaw that came too close for comfort. "Either the torso or the repair system then..."

"This unit's sensors indicate the repair system is protected by an energy shield. This unit cannot assess its endurance yet" offered Nephar, avoiding an electric bolt and bashing a red head under the chin. "Experimental attacks would make the assessment swifter."

Zero shrugged, then unholstered his buster. Jumping on top of an attacking head to gain some elevation, he aimed upwards and fired three shots. Just before they could hit the Hydragon's support system, they harmlessly splashed against an invisible dome and vanished. "How is that?"

Nephar remained silent for a while, withdrawing under its shell to withstand a flame-thrower attack it failed to dodge. When it emerged again, its calculations where complete. "This unit's master's saber should be able to penetrate it, provided this unit's master can secure enough leverage. Additionally, a strong electric current would also weaken it by an average of sixty-two percent."

Zero regarded the ceiling, then the walls, all the while dodging a couple of pretty dogged jaws. "It's too high and too far from the walls to reach. Let's try from a distance first" he suggested, prompting Bianka to nod.

Zero charged a second level shot in his buster, then let the green burst go, followed by many normal shots, while Bianka unleashed a hail of red surikens. The attacks hit the target head-on and while at first there seemed to be no effect, the shield became visible for a second, flickering a bit. The two reploids repeated the attack, this time hitting a dragon head that rushed to intercept them.

"It's not stupid" muttered Zero. "It will protect its repair system now that it knows we know. Bianka, let's keep trying some more" he added and while the white ninja looked puzzled, she nodded.

Three more hails of attacks were used and the same head was quick to void them, too enduring to be seriously damaged. When Bianka let the fourth hail of stars, however, Zero was no longer by her side. Dashing fast and through the tangle of heads and necks, he released a charged saber smash right at the back of the Hydragon's torso. He frowned when the powerful shockwave only produced some very impressive but still hollow scars on the reinforced metal hide.

"Damn" he cursed, leaping away. "This will take forever.

It was then Nephar spoke with urgency. "Watch out! It's charging energy."

Zero, trusting the metool, leaped to the side and a second later he felt glad he did. Without any warning, the plating at the center of the Hydragon's torso opened, revealing one side of a large blue orb, and a stream of continuous energy rushed forth, condensing in a white beam that dug a deep trench on the floor Zero used to stand.

Bianka, moving almost reflexively, reached for her belt, then sent three energy daggers flying. The first dug deep in one of the red heads' gullet, lodging in the flame-thrower's mouth just as it tried to shoot, causing the head to malfunction and go offline. The second missed, flying just off the Hydragon's torso, then colliding with the far wall, falling unceremoniously to the floor while the third hit the Hydragon at the edge of the central orb, lodging in up to the hilt. If the electric sparks that went flying, the beam that stopped cold and the Hydragon itself that flinched were any indication, the hit was really effective.

Zero could take a hint. Accustomed to the attack patterns of the heads, he danced around them, charging his buster and releasing a second level charge right in the middle of the still exposed orb. The mechaniloid flinched again, seemingly stunned for a second, then attempted to close the shutters protecting its orb. Only to realize Bianka's knife was in the way and that forcing the reinforced plates would only damage it further.

"Situation assessed" declared Nephar. "This unit will now deploy ranged weaponry," it added as part of its helmet opened and a nasty-looking energy rifle, almost as large as the metool itself, uncoiled from within. Bianka willed herself not to wonder about the ever-surprising hardhat, concentrating on shooting her own projectiles straight. All three companions started moving as fast as they could, firing from different angles and aiming at the central orb.

The Hydragon however proved to be a tough adversary. At first, some attacks would slip through, since the heads trying to protect the core would be neutralized one after another. To rectify that, it floated close to the ceiling, replacing its neutralized heads rapidly and attacking only with the green heads' electric bolts that had enough range. It soon became a stalemate, the heads being replaced faster than destroyed but not fast enough to effectively attack.

"We need to think something" complained Bianka after a while. "This is getting us nowhere." Zero wholeheartedly agreed and was trying to think of a plan. The Hydragon beat them to it.

Without warning, it disengaged itself from the repair system, floating away very fast and avoiding the next wave of attacks. However, another head materialized and, finding no place to connect, fell from the repair system, causing quite an explosion beneath. Taking advantage of the loss of tempo these two actions caused, the Hydragon sent all eight heads against the one dealing the most damage. Zero.

Some of the heads bumped on each other, others got entangled, but they all kept coming. The red warrior had to halt his attacks, hoping on top of an incoming head, leaping out of the jaws of another, running across the neck of a third, jumping to avoid a fourth and severing a fifth that came too close. However, he soon realized his error when he tried to get out of the path of an orange head and saw a prison made of coiled necks around him. Bianka and Nephar, that had taken the opportunity to score some hits while all the heads were occupied, gasped when they saw a head stopping in front of the blue orb with Zero firmly caught in its jaws.

**-c-c-**

"Incoming!" warned Michael urgently, removing his eyes from the three-dimensional radar screen. "It looks like a missile," he added, causing everybody present to pay the doubly needed attention.

Bernard almost fell from his seat at the cry, his return to reality a lot rougher than he'd like. Max's reaction was more guarded but not less frantic as his hands became a blur on the keypad before him and his eyes started reading at obscene speeds. The black warrior, newly identified as Morvex, was the one least startled. For him, it was almost a given something like this would happen. After regarding his three unlikely companions he sighed, replacing his helmet, rising with a yawn and slowly taking his place at the turret battery controls.

"Tell me as soon as it comes in range" he requested loudly but calmly. "I'll try to take it down."

The next minutes ticked away torturously slow. Bernard had actually regained enough presence of mind to man the second turret, although his severe fidgeting case worsened by the second.

"I identified it," exclaimed Max, then his artificial blood left his face leaving him ashen pale. "It's a Nexus class warhead" he continued, whispering with reverence. "They stopped producing these things after the Elf Wars! A Meta-Rhodium charge in the middle of a cluster of hyper-dense kinetic projectiles, anti-entropic shields, four self-sustained ion thrusters, independent bionic brain and laser-guided targeting sensors." He blinked once more after rechecking some values. "If this thing hits us, there won't be enough dust left to cause a sneeze."

Only part of their plight's gravity managed to sink in before Michael talked again. "The missile is within range. I'll try to outmaneuver it for a while but it is definitely faster than us." His eyes narrowed as he disengaged the auto-pilot, clasping the controls firmly. "Shoot this thing down" he added, just before he pushed the shuttle's thrusters to their limit.

The extra Gs of acceleration hit everybody like a wall of bricks, although they were too occupied to consider that a human in their place would have been as good as dead. Soon, the twin energy turrets started spitting a hail of multiple projectiles, all aimed towards the now visible warhead. The missile itself was hardly imposing, just three meters long and colored a dull brown. However, everybody had to reassert their initial estimate as soon as the first energy bolt threatened to hit the larger projectile. The Nexus class warhead started dodging frantically, literally dancing in the air. Any odd shot that happened to actually be in line to hit, would harmlessly splash against invisible shields and disperse.

After a while, Michael's frown had grown. "It's gaining ground" he snorted, raking his head for a solution. "I'm going to try something but I want everybody safe in their seats" he added, satisfied when he took a second to glimpse back and confirm everybody was secured. "Here goes nothing" he muttered, abruptly turning the shuttle's nose downwards, towards the sea of white clouds below them. He then activated the shuttle's afterburners.

The following seconds were pure torture for everybody involved. The turrets went silent as their operators had to wrestle against their systems that demanded they pass out. The highjacked shuttle plunged through the white blanket like a streaming red-hot arrow, leaving its pursuer behind. The passengers soon saw the brown and yellow tones of the desert wasteland below them screaming closer, although Michael deigned to only trust his altitude sensors and radar. Two hundred meters from the ground, an entirely too daring distance, the shuttle entered an awkward arc, straightening and flying on a horizontal mad dash. At long last, Michael disengaged the afterburner, sighing as they once again fell closer to the speed of sound.

Maneuvering through a wide but still dangerous canyon, the sniper barely allowed himself to glance at Max. The other reploid acknowledged the unvoiced question. "No, we did not lose it. We gained some more time, that's for sure, but it will be on us again soon" he sighed. "And I can never hope to interface with it through its defenses" he added, scowling at himself. "I'm a security expert, not a magician."

"I may have a plan" started Morvex, although his voice was guarded. "What exactly do we carry along in this thing's storage?"

Max consulted his data and told him.

Morvex allowed himself a smile.

**-c-c-**

Zero struggled mightily against the metal jaws, actually managing to loosen them a bit despite his awkward positioning. However, he failed to complete escape their grip.

"Zero, hang on, we'll get you down in a minute", exclaimed Bianka determined, although the red warrior could detect extreme hesitation and panic lurking under her voice. She followed her words with a hail of red ninja stars, aiming for the head's neck. She yelped as the Hydragon positioned its hostage close to her line of fire, the energy projectiles barely missing his head.

Bianka could swear she heard the green metool sigh. "This unit estimates there is a 60 percent chance to hit this unit's master should we try to free him. Such course of action is not recommended since we only have a 5 percent chance to win this battle without master Zero's help."

Before the white ninja could conjure a line of action, Zero beat her to it. "Listen to me, both of you. I want you to aim for the core's upper right corner", he instructed. " Your right", he amended quickly.

Bianka blinked in disbelief just as she dodged another set of jaws. "But we might hit you, Zero!" she exclaimed.

Said hunter allowed himself the ghost of a smile. "Just aim and pretend to shoot."

Still curious, Bianka complied, aiming for the core once more and opening the upper part of her arm guard. The giant mechaniloid compensated for that, moving Zero in her line of sight. The crimson warrior shifted slightly, releasing half of his arm from the jaws and touching the red beam knife that was still embedded in the Hydragon's weak spot. His helmet jewel flashed, assuming a yellow glow and he interfaced with the weapon, taking control of its systems.

**#Unknown weaponry detected, analyzing…**

**#Analysis complete, weapon identified as B-dagger model NA-413, interfacing…**

**#Warning, model NA-413 does not support the charge function. Estimated full charges before probable malfunction: 2**

**#Interfacing complete, altering weapon element to electricity.**

The whole procedure lasted less than a second, in which Zero had already started charging Bianka's kunai. As soon as the tiny blade flashed yellow, he routed the charged energy through his hand and into the weapon, unloading millions of volts through the Hydragon's core. All the while, he prepared two more charges.

Bianka gasped as lightning arced all over their foe's bulk, causing two red dragon heads to be destroyed instantly as their gas tanks detonated. Nephar, on the other hand, took the offered opening, blasting at the stunned neck that was still holding Zero captive.

The red hunter wrestled his way out of the now deactivated jaws, his hand never leaving the borrowed blade. After clearing the dragon mouth, he flipped upwards, stepping on the still lodged dagger and releasing the second electric charge through it.

The mechaniloid keened in simulated pain and Zero leaped upwards just before Bianka's dagger turned back to red then fizzled altogether, the now worthless black hilt clattering on the floor. Never hesitating, Zero used another head as a second foothold, pushing against it and catapulting himself towards the Hydragon's repair system. The third and last charge was released via his own saber, cleanly shorting out the energy shield and biting mercilessly through the mess of wires and components, cleaving the contraption in half.

As he started falling, Bianka's eyes went wide since she noticed the Hydragon had recovered, turning its core upwards and preparing a second charged beam. Zero saw it too and estimated we would reach too late to stop the blast. At first he considered bracing himself and merely enduring the attack, but then another idea dawned on him. His hands moving lightning-fast, he recovered his new triple rod from its holster, turning it downwards and extending it to its maximum length. The energy tip of the polearm reached the core milliseconds before the beam could be released, Zero's weight driving it deeply and causing the entirety of the fragile globe to crack.

Its attack canceled, the giant mechaniloid tried a last ditch effort, sending all its remaining heads against its opponent. Zero dodged the first of them, then smashed his electrified saber through the critically brittle core, shattering it completely. The remaining heads writhed around uncontrollably for a while, then the body fell to the floor lifeless, the crimson bomber leaping away just before it was consuming by its own blast.

As soon as the air cleared, Bianka rushed to him, her eyes darting frantically all over his body. "Are you alright?" she asked urgently, the entirety of her discipline as a warrior evaporating as soon as the battle ended.

Zero winced a bit, eyeing the deep gashes left by the jaws on his waist, but then smirked slightly. "All in a day's work", he replied, replacing his saber to its holster.

They continued through the next set of doors that had been unlocked when the Hydragon was retired, soon reaching to the power plant's core, a large command center with numerous terminals and control panels.

"What now?" asked Bianka, not very savvy when it came to computer systems.

Zero turned to regard Nephar and when the green metool failed to produce a response he shrugged and reached what seemed like the main console. _To try or not to try. I could start pressing buttons at random, but what if I fumble. I still remember that little tale about a magma power plant turned volcano that Ciel told me._

He reached for a big blue button at random, but before he could press it, the Voice in his head stopped him. _**No, not that one, brainiac. You'll blow us sky high. Turn the green knob to your left instead and flip the white switch. Then press the blue button. **_

Zero actually raised a brow. "That's handy", he muttered, noticing that the screen prompted for a password. "Now what?"

He heard a mental sigh in his mind. _**You downloaded this password when you ripped that clunky elephant apart. You know, just because we share your mind doesn't mean I get to do all the thinking for you...**_

The red warrior shook his head amused as he inputted the correct code. _Snippy AND cranky the mysterious Voice is_, he mused, receiving silence instead of an acidic retort. Seconds later, the protective field around the factory was lifted, prompting both his and Bianka's comms to come to life.

"_Zero! Thank goodness, are you all safe? I'm bouncing my signal off your communicators... I took control of the transerver in the adjacent room. I'm sending medical support for all of you right now!"_ exclaimed Ciel, talking too fast for everybody else to retaliate.

Zero sighed. "Don't let them knock themselves out, we are not that hurt. By the way, mission accomplished. As soon as Colbor secures the rest of the floors, the power plant is ours for the taking."

"_Acknowledged!"_ responded said Resistance reploid. He paused a little, then continued mirthfully. "_I have a gray soldier and two cyber-elves here that are torn between hugging you and kicking your butts for worrying them, over." _

As Zero and Bianka looked at each other amused, Nephar blinked distractedly, then talked in an especially neutral voice. "This unit estimates that the survival percentage of that confrontation is lower than the last battle's..."

**-c-c-**

End of chapter. After a long period of silence, I have decided to return to this story. For anybody interested, I have revised the first three chapters and I hope I can soon retouch the rest of them, too. Let's see if anyone will be reading after all this time...

About the chapter itself. I hope you liked the Axl parts. I'm not sure if the battle with Red was up to par, since X7 is the only X game I haven't played yet. Our favorite copycat should be waking up in a couple of chapters. As for the metool, I think you have started realizing there is more to it than one might think.

To read review responses and if you want to contact me further you can look at my special topic in Aria6's forum. The link is in my profile.


	27. Tentative survival

**Chapter 27: Tentative survival **

**-c-c-**

The three reploids pushed in unison, moving the large crate another inch towards its destination. Artificial muscles straining and feet grazing the floor, they all left a grunt of effort in the process.

"I think this crate is a tad beyond my specs", whined Bernard, stopping momentarily.

"You are a damn reploid. Rise up to the occasion and evolve beyond your specs", came Morvex's unkind response. Even though he was practically doing most of the work, he insisted the other two reploids pull, or in this case push, their weight.

"I'm designed for research and security, not manual labor", groused Max as on cue. His already dirty lab coat had been stained even further inside the shuttle's storage bay.

The black-armored giant groaned again, half in effort, half in exasperation. "No need to worry. If you don't help you won't have to do any more manual labor. You won't get to do anything at all ever again", he mocked as another burst of strength was channeled through his frame.

"Why isn't Mike helping?" followed Bernard.

Morvex frowned. "He's a bit busy guiding this flying bathtub away from the bugger we picked up. Unless you are flyboys too, shut up and put up."

"But…"

The black knight-themed reploid snarled. "If you can still yap, you can push harder", he snapped.

Some seconds later and with a bit more effort they managed to reach their destination, the crate placed next to another three identical ones, all at the edge of the shuttle's loading ramp. Morvex clapped his hands, getting rid of the imaginary dirt. "That wasn't so bad now, was it?" he asked, glaring when his two companions proceeded to collapse exhausted. He made it a point to return to the cockpit on stomping feet.

Michael, that had been concentrating on his console the whole time, acknowledged his presence with a nod without turning to face him. "All set?" he asked plainly.

The black warrior allowed himself a smile that remained invisible behind his mask but not behind his words. "Of course. Your pals might be a bunch of wimps, but a little subtle motivation goes a long way."

The sniper smirked despite their grim predicament. "That was the loudest subtle motivation I've ever heard." His face turned grim soon afterwards. "I just hope this plan of yours works. If I keep the thrusters to their limit, we'll be hit in less than a minute."

Morvex raised a brow at that, then performed an about face. "Get back here you sad wastes of reploid material and strap down", he bellowed, making himself heard above the engines' considerable noise. "Unless you are in the mood for a free fall that is", he added, quite unnecessary, as Bernard and Max stumbled to their seats.

The researcher frowned a bit. "You do realize that with the current energy crisis what we are about to do is mindnumbingly wasteful, right?" he observed testily.

Before the black giant could snap an appropriate reply, Michael beat him to it. "Max, at this point I frankly don't give a damn", he exclaimed, turning the shuttle's nose upwards and flying almost vertically.

Moments later, the missile came back into sensor range, closing in as fast as the wrath of an angry god. "Get ready", started Max, his face on the radar screen. "Release!" he ordered a second afterwards and the pilot complied, opening the shuttle's loading ramp. Multiple warnings flashed on his console but he ignored them, thankful that the cockpit's airtight door prevented their partition from losing pressure. "Fire!"

At Max's new order, both Morvex and Bernard aimed their turrets towards the falling crates behind them and pelted them with as many shots as they could muster. The containers, filled with spare pantheon energy cores, detonated violently one after another just as the Nexus warhead reached the same altitude. The chain reaction caused the shuttle to shudder violently, vibrations forcing every hard surface to resonate.

"Did we get it?" asked Morvex urgently, trying to look at the radar screen from behind Max's shoulder.

"I think…"

Max never managed to complete his estimation as the missile behind them exploded, the shockwave still reaching them despite their recent stunt. "The thrusters are out!" managed to scream Michael just before he engaged the emergency landing protocols and lost consciousness.

**-c-c-**

#Initiating data log:

#Event: Damage report minimal. Current environment graded as low-threat. Repair systems working at 5 percent.

#CUI chip report: fire chip salvaged. Heat manipulation function established.

Offensive protocols upgraded: innate fire attack vassal under development.

Defensive protocols upgraded: tolerance against fire attacks enhanced.

Special protocols upgraded: results unknown.

#CUI chip report: Enemy mechaniloid unit blueprints analyzed. Upgrades embodied into DNA core as seen optimal. Effects:

Reaction time upgraded.

Concussion resistant armor coating upgraded.

Defensive protocols upgraded: tolerance against ice attacks enhanced.

Multitasking capabilities upgraded.

Unique hardware configuration from entity 'Hydragon' isolated and currently being evaluated for integration. Match 33 percent with 'Tenkouha' fragmented file.

#Event: Energy absorbing function upped. Efficiency at 12 percent.

#Event: maximum energy core capacity upgraded.

#Event: 'Triple rod' system integration commencing. Optimizing charge capabilities.

#Event: Misc weapon identification protocols upgraded.

#Overview:

Relative potential body power level: infinite.

Relative possible body power level: 132K

Synchronization percentage: 10

Relative power level: 13200

#End log

**-c-c-**

Second Guardian Fefnir watched intently at the command center's giant screen that was displaying live video feed from the launched missile's sensors. "Persistent little guys", he commented as the shuttle performed yet another acrobatic maneuver. He ignored the main door opening and closing, but his survival instincts flared to life at the killing intent focused on his person.

"Heh, hi Sage. How are you hanging?" he asked sheepishly, not daring to turn around.

The scowling First Guardian failed to soften his expression. "You launched a missile against the fleeing prisoners", he stated.

Fefnir rubbed the back of his head. "That's right. I know that that normally falls under the jurisdiction of the Rekku army, but Master X told me to use any means necessary", he clarified, this time regarding the jade general.

Harpuia raised a brow. "So, naturally, you go and launch a Nexus class warhead. The same kind left from the Elf Wars which we cannot currently reproduce."

Fefnir blinked dumbfounded. "I just told them to launch a medium homing missile", he responded.

The Rekku general's eyes went wide, then he slapped a hand on his forehead. "That's why I'm in charge of the missiles! A '**medium**' sized missile is intended to destroy a **medium **city or a **medium-**sized enemy fleet. Firing that against a mere shuttle is like attacking a fly with a flamethrower. It's..." Harpuia stopped abruptly, then rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You actually did attack a fly with a flamethrower once, didn't you?" he remembered wearily.

The red general shrugged. "So what now, Sage? We can't exactly recall the missile, can we?" he responded, frowning when Harpuia eyed him inquisitively. "It was a rhetorical question, Harp, I'm not stupid!"

"Since you fired the thing, we might as well watch the fireworks", replied the green general, sighing while focusing on the screen.

They both watched with rapt attention as the missile's target came closer and closer. They both watched with curious concentration as the shuttle arced upwards sharply. They both watched in incredulous speculation as the cargo bays opened and four large crates spilled out. They both watched with morbid fascination as the crates exploded and the video feed vanished.

"Did it miss?" asked Fefnir after a few moments of silence.

Harpuia shook his head. "A Nexus missile does not 'miss' at such range, Fefnir. The blast radius is enormous. The question is, whether the shuttle was vaporized or not", he added, turning to the head operator that was fidgeting nervously.

A nod from the general released the report from his lips. "The hijacked shuttle survived the blast but crash-landed some seconds later. Her beckon is deactivated, but we have a general position.

Harpuia glared at Fefnir. "Alright, alright, I'm going there myself. I have already ordered Anubis to gather three Jin'en divisions."

The Jade general nodded. "You'd better make haste. I'd be going with you, but I have duties inside the city."

The red general frowned. "I'm not a kid, Sage. We both know this operation is to save face more than anything else."

"Just be prepared in case you encounter the Resistance. You'll be competing against them if the shuttle survivors manage to transmit a distress signal", cautioned Harpuia.

Fefnir actually smiled. "Cool! I might even get to fight that Zero guy! Now that's an interesting thought."

Before his companion could offer his opinion about Fefnir's thoughts, the red guardian was already out of sight.

**-c-c-**

Alouette entered Ciel's room silently, her doll firmly clutched as always. The child reploid's brow rose when she saw her adopted mother zipping all around the place like a hamster on sugar-high, selectively gathering pieces of equipment and research notes and stuffing them haphazardly into a green backpack. Her room, which was hardly tidy originally, resembled a war zone more than ever before.

"Is everything alright, mommy?" she asked, quite a bit worried.

The joyful smile tugging at the human's lips served to easy her anxiety before Ciel could even begin to speak. "It's more than right, Alouette. Thanks to Zero, we won't have to worry about energy for a while. The factory we took over might be useless for Neo-Arcadia, but for us it's a blessing."

Ciel's mood was infectious, especially after the tiny reploid had seen her getting more and more depressed over the years. Soon, however, her mind produced another question. "Where are you going, then?"

The researcher sobered up a bit. "I need to go and inspect the factory. Make sure everything is working as efficiently as possible and hide our presence a bit more. Losing the factory to neglect is not an option."

"Can I come with you?" responded Alouette, her face lighting up.

Ciel frowned, mostly with worry. "That's not a good idea. It's dangerous even though we are in control of the area. Perhaps we have missed a mechaniloid. We can't risk that now, can we?"

"But what about you?"

Ciel dismissed that notion. "No problem at all. Many soldiers will be with me and if there is real danger, Zero can get there in minutes. I'll be fine."

Alouette's eyes went downcast. "I can't help it. Is this what you feel when you send Zero out on dangerous missions?"

The young scientist sealed her pack, then turned to the little reploid girl. Kneeling before her, she embraced her in a much-needed hug. "Yes, that's how it feels every time I send anyone out there."

The reploid returned the hug and couldn't help but smile a bit. "But you feel stronger when it's Zero!" she exclaimed happily.

"Alouette!" returned Ciel bewildered. "That's not... I mean, it's not like that", she added blushing.

The smaller girl blinked. "What's not like that?" she asked obliviously, a twinkle in her eyes.

Ciel let go and pretended to cough. "Never mind. Why don't you try to make a good luck charm for Zero while I'm gone?" she went on, trying to change the subject and sprouting the first thing that came to her mind.

"A good luck charm?"

The human nodded. "It may be a bit silly or it may help keeping him safe. You never know until you try", she clarified, kissing her on the cheek. "Take care now", she added before leaving the room and heading towards the transerver.

As soon as she was out of sight, Alouette's face went sad. "But I want to help you more..." she muttered. Her childish face was soon filled with determination. "And I know just who can help me."

She proceeded to sprint through the base's corridors, soon reaching the mess hall. She started scanning the tables, many of them filled, but the one reploid she was looking for was nowhere to be seen. Before she could decide where to look next, an enraged bellow reached her ears and caused her head to snap towards its source.

She watched fascinated as a white ball of light flew away from the cafeteria counter, followed by a stocky reploid that leaped after it.

"Come back here you good for nothing, stinking pixie!" shouted Viny, leaping from table to table while following Isis, occasionally launching spoons, forks and knives against the fairy.

Said cyber-elf was flying backwards while facing the stampeding chef, catching the airborne utensils and sending them back.

"You are overreacting, plumpy", shot back the swaggering elf while still joggling forks and spoons. "It's not my fault if a banana peel gives you two left feet."

"Overreacting? Overreacting?! Wait till I catch you and I'll show you overreacting!"

All the Resistance members present were watching the drama by now, most of them laughing loudly and only a few complaining about the overturned plates left in Viny's wake. Bolthor and Colbor, that were also sitting around one of the tables, had started a makeshift betting ring about how long the chase would last.

Another ball of light, this time multicolored, chose that moment to sit on Alouette's shoulder. "They are in rare form today", commented Siri, sighing as the still wide-eyed reploid girl turned to regard her.

"What is going on?"

Siri sighed again, her aura light fading enough for Alouette to watch her passing a tiny hand through her long brown hair. "Isis is still harassing poor Viny. I don't get her at all sometimes." The raindow-colored cyber-elf cringed when Viny started swearing loudly. "Come with me Alouette, this is not a good place for you", she added, leading her back to the corridor.

The reploid girl decided to ask her for help. "I wanted to talk to Zero, Siri. Have you seen him around?"

The cyber-elf scratched her head for a while, then nodded. "Zero went to see Cerveau. He told us he will go above ground afterwards."

"He has a mission?" returned Alouette, a bit apprehensive.

Siri shook her head. "None that I know of. He probably went to try another of Cerveau's weapon's or something. I'd help you find him, but I have to save Isis' cyber-bacon. Again."

The girl nodded, then went to leave. Almost as an afterthought, she turned around again. "Do you know anything about good luck charms?"

The elf was caught unprepared for that question. "Good luck... charms?"

Alouette giggled. "Never mind. Thanks Siri!" she finished before bolting towards the elevator.

"What was that about?" she wondered, staring at the reploid girl's back.

Her musings were interrupted by Viny's shouts that reached a crescendo. "...and the horse you transed in on!"

"Oh boy", lamented Siri, returning to the mess hall as fast as she could.

**-c-c-**

The fifty-fifth Resistance branch, conveniently placed inside a giant mutated oak just next to the Neo-Arcadian palace, was usually a very slow place. Some claimed that the leader of the branch, a reploid named Dante, was way too lax for such a crucial post, just next to the enemy's seat of power. However, that same low profile allowed the tiny base to survive and prosper despite its precarious position. In times of need, the Dante team's contribution was invaluable.

Nelly turned around to the other operator, sighing and straightening her unruly olive hair. "I'm taking a break Joan. The files we try to decode are hardly important anyway. I trust you can deal with anything that might come up."

Joan, that had just been transferred from Elisa's fourth branch, nodded. "Go and rest, Miss Nelly. You have taught me well.

Said operator shook her head. "You are still too stressed, Joan. Commander Elisa must be running a very tight ship.

"True that. She is a perfectionist through and through", replied Joan, allowing her shoulders to release tension. "But I also had a friendly rivalry with another junior operator. We were competing to see who was faster."

Nelly all but inhaled a cup of coffee, thankful that reploid systems could process caffeine just as well as human ones. "I don't see why you were transferred here if the two of you were that effective together."

"Perhaps Rouge and I were a bit too effective together", clarified Joan, her face turning beat red with embarrassment. "The main console of the base started smoking during our last competition and we almost blew up the command center. Fortunately, my records are too good to send me to… less savory posts."

Nelly shuddered at that. "Posts like the Antarctic forty-eighth or the sixty-seventh branch in Sahara desert? I tremble when thinking what those troublemakers did to prompt Dr. Ciel or anyone else to send them there."

Joan laughed at that. "I've never met Dr. Ciel, but I hear she wouldn't hurt a fly."

Nelly's eyes twinkled. "My former boyfriend says otherwise. He was one of the first reploids she saved, back before she could found the Resistance. Dr Ciel might be the most gentle-natured person I know, but nobody can handle an autocannon better than her in a pinch."

"That would be a sight", chuckled the blonde operator, but then her eyes went wide and she replaced the visor over her eyes in an instant. "Something's wrong in the NA command center. They… they launched a missile."

Nelly forgot all about her break, leaping back to her seat and typing rapidly on her console. Some minutes later she stopped and exchanged glances with the other operator. "This is a bit too big for our branch. Three of the reploid refugees that stole that shuttle were low ranked and potentially good additions to our ranks, but the fourth one could be invaluable."

Joan blinked at that. "But there is no data about him here. How do you know?"

The olive-haired operator smirked, happy to be able to teach something to her talented subordinate. "I have searched both in the NA and the Resistance databanks. This means that either a third unknown party is involved or that info is classified."

"What should we do?" inquired her companion hesitantly.

Nelly typed a bit more, a smile tugging at her lips. "The forest activity around us is high enough to conceal our transmissions. It's time we contacted the Core."

**-c-c-**

Alouette sneaked past the auxiliary elevator guard with unnerving ease, her small body concealed by a brown cloak a few numbers too large, which she had found in Ciel's room. She timidly peeked out of the ground-level hatch before emerging and looking around. The old magma factory that had been converted into the Resistance base had been built inside one of old Arcadia's residential areas. The ruins that remained behind as a testament to the formerly towering spires were very confusing, but the reploid girl had sneaked outside before and had a good idea when it came to navigating the mazelike masses of debris. She knew that if Zero was really testing a new weapon, he'd need a lot of space and there was only one such place close enough to the base's entrance.

True enough, she soon heard the unmistakable sounds of combat and energy bolts. Hiding behind a large boulder, she regarded the sight before her with eyes wide and mouth slack. Zero would fire a small energy shot towards Nephar and the green metool would deflect it back with its cap. Zero would intercept it with his Z-saber again and again, turning the training exercise into an extreme game of tennis. Reploid and metool would bounce all around the landscape, scaling walls, leaping above piles of scrap metal and climbing lone pillars of stone and metal, always trying to avoid the recycled projectile and only hitting it as a last resort.

"Wow…" muttered the pink-clad girl, reminding herself she had to breathe to maintain her energy core's equilibrium. She couldn't help but feel awed and quite a bit jealous of the dance she was witnessing, longing to join in but knowing her current limits. Limits she was determined to change.

"You can come out now, Alouette. We are taking a break", came Zero's voice and she yelped in surprise.

"How did you know I was there?" she half-whined as she emerged from behind her cover.

Zero exchanged a knowing glance with the metool. "Taste was the only sense that didn't help me spotting you five minutes ago", he explained smirking, causing the girl to pout. "Even though you are surprisingly good at sneaking around", he added, regarding her questioningly.

Alouette laughed somewhat embarrassed, eager to change the subject. "Who is this metool?" she asked.

"This unit is designated as 'Nephar'. This unit's primary master is Zero and this unit's secondary masters are master Zero's allies."

The girl blinked for a while then raised a brow. "So you are Nephar and you are Zero's friend", she stated.

"This unit finds the assessment correct, although a bit inaccurate."

Alouette giggled. "You talk funny."

"To this unit's opinion, this unit's mode of speech is very appropriate", riposted Nephar, sounding a bit peeved.

The girl crossed her arms while smirking, her nose pointing high. "If you could only talk that silly, you wouldn't have opinions."

Zero could swear the mechaniloid's green armor started to assume a red hue. "I…This unit has the capacity to emulate opinions", it shot back.

Alouette abruptly pointed at the metool, her eyes wide. "You said 'I'! You can talk normally but you don't!"

"This unit suggests you should check your auditory sensors for possible malfunction", groused the metool, withdrawing inside its shell and staying silent.

Zero fought very hard to keep his face straight. "Not that I mind the company, but what brings you here?"

She started fidgeting in response. "Well, mommy Ciel went to check the new factory you found us and she didn't let me go along. She said it was dangerous."

The red hunter nodded. "There are some dangerous areas in that factory even without the mechaniloids."

"But I wanted to help!" complained Alouette her eyes moving downwards. "Ciel, you and everybody else are doing their best. I am the only reploid in the base that can't help."

Zero smiled a bit. "Therefore you came to see if I would fulfill what I promised to you some time ago", he theorized.

Alouette nodded, albeit a bit shyly. "What I want hasn't changed. I want you to teach me how to fight. I know I could probably never be as good as the rest of the soldiers but I want to learn anyway. Mommy Ciel means everything to me."

The hunter sighed. "Fighting is not the only way to help, you know. Ciel is the best example of that. There are other ways you could be useful."

The girl frowned. "Are you saying that to avoid teaching me?" she asked, sounding quite a bit miffed.

Zero smiled. "Not really. I'm telling you that so that you'll try to learn more than what I will be teaching you. Ciel has as much to show you as I do."

Alouette's eyes went wide. "You... you mean you will actually do it?" she asked in disbelief, not daring to hope.

His face went serious. "Indeed I will. You must know it won't be easy for either of us. There will be many times when you'll think about quitting and I won't stop you if you really want to. Also, while I'm not about to shout it from the base's speakers, I won't lie to Ciel if she asks whether I'm training you. Are you still interested?"

The pink-clad reploid stayed silent for a while then nodded, her face displaying an intensity that stirred some of Zero's unidentifiable memories. "Yes, I want to do this. I know it will be tough but I'll be doing it for Ciel."

Zero sighed then looked around. "Do you see that sign?" he asked, pointing towards a faraway wall. Alouette turned curiously and regarded said sign, which happened to be a very old and withered car advertisement. 'Even when you drive Takuro Spirit through the Eurasia wastelands, you still feel like riding a chariot on sugary clouds. Order today and win a Maverick Virus sensor and a subscription to The Arcadian Monitor', it read.

"What's wrong with the sign?" she asked curiously, then her eyes went wide as Zero placed his own buster pistol in her hands.

"Show me your aim", he ordered.

**-c-c-**

Morvex groaned, his body struggling to return to consciousness. At length, the onyx warrior opened his eyes and removed his face from the ruined floor. "Let's not do that again", he spat, frowning at the seat handle that had been ripped from its place and was still in his hand. "Is anybody else alive here?" he asked, discarding the item.

For a while nothing stirred, but then another groan answered his question. Michael soon crawled from under the remains of his seat, bruised and abused but still functioning. "I think so", he responded, not bothering to return to his feet yet. "What about the others?" At Morvex's indifferent shrug, he sighed, taking in the scene around them.

The shuttle's frame had endured the crash, probably the only reason they had survived, but everything else seemed to be completely wrecked. Everything burnable, including his clothes, was mildly scorched and blackened, probably a result of the missile's detonation. Fortunately, the blast had only caused a flash-fire effect, with no persistent flames left behind.

They soon discovered Bernard, that had been flung to the back of the cockpit and Max, who was buried under a pile of debris that used to be part of his console. Both were still out of it but had already started stirring.

"Anyone got the serial of that golem that hit us?" asked Bernard, clutching his head in pain.

Max also opened his eyes, wincing when he tried to move. "My right leg is busted", he complained, frowning at the pieces of shrapnel lodged in said limb. "With the equipment that seems to have survived, it will take me days to fix myself", he added after studying his surroundings.

"The real question is what do we do now", followed Michael from behind him. "I might not be a techie like you, but even I can tell this thing won't be flying any time soon."

"Or ever for the matter", added Morvex, removing his helmet and wiping away the ash that had passed through and had settled on his skin. "Don't think we are safe yet. Neo-Arcadia will be sending troops to find us even if they are half-convinced we have bitten the dust."

The others blanched at that but nodded. "We need to get far away from this wreck, then", suggested Bernard. "Does anyone have any idea where we are?"

Max nodded. "I was connected to the craft's sensors till the end. I know where we are and it doesn't look good", he replied, shaking his head. "The closest town is three hundred kilometers to the west and it's also a Neo-Arcadian outpost. Most of the distance is desert, desert and more desert. Also, the ruins of old Arcadia are one hundred and fifty kilometers to the north-west. They say that the main Resistance base is hidden there, but the operative word is 'hidden'."

Morvex sighed heavily. "Three hundred km is a lot of walking and I'm the only one armed. What about supplies?"

During their conversation, Max had been busy ripping off panels and dabbling with wires and circuitry. "The shuttle's energy core is intact. It endured the blast and that's the only reason the whole thing didn't blow up. We could survive on its output for a couple of months, but we have no way to take the energy with us. We should have kept some of the Pantheon cores..."

Michael shook his head. "We needed them to get rid of our tail. No use crying over spilled volts. We also have some food rations but even if we hypercharge ourselves from the shuttle core, it won't last us for three hundred kilometers of desert."

"How about sending a distress signal? If the Resistance is that close, it can't be that hard to contact them", suggested Bernard.

Morvex frowned. "Assuming they will be eager to take you three in. I heard about the mess that landed you in the slammer in the first place." As everybody else winced, the black-armored reploid went on. "Even though a beckon might bring the Neo-Arcadians here, it's really our only chance."

Max nodded. "Agreed. It will take some effort but I could probably rig a crude signal emitter strong enough to reach the ruins of old Arcadia."

A few minutes later, Max was already working with pieces of discarded circuitry while Michael was trying to restore the technician's leg to some measure of functionality. In the meanwhile, Morvex dragged Bernard outside so that they could scout the area around the crashed shuttle. None of them could help but feel things would get worse before getting better...

**-c-c-**

Alouette regarded the item she held intently. It had taken her many shots to actually hit the sign with Zero's buster and she was still convinced it was more luck than aiming ability. Now she was holding a metal pipe in her hands and it felt pretty heavy, almost as heavy as said buster.

"Whenever you are ready", came Zero's voice and she regarded him intently. Seconds later, she leaped forward, attempting to tag the crimson warrior with her pipe. Zero, brandishing a similar weapon, blocked the strike and the resulting vibrations caused Alouette to fall backwards on her behinds. She returned to her feet groaning but without verbal complain and assumed the attacking stance Zero had showed her earlier.

Her teacher nodded. "When two beam weapons clash, they also produce vibrations like that. That's why you must never try to overcome a block unless you are sure you can surpass the opponent's strength. When in doubt, recover and try to strike from a different angle."

The pink-clad girl sighed. "I don't think I'll ever meet an opponent weaker than me", she commented.

Zero regarded her, then raised a brow. "Reploid muscles do become stronger with use. However, you'll certainly be the weakest if you keep these inhibitors all over your body active."

Alouette seemed surprised. "You know about the inhibitors?"

Zero nodded. "Even without my sensors, I could tell. Even an eight-year-old reploid body is much stronger than an adult human body and yours seems to be more efficient than the average reploid. Custom-built reploids are always better than mass produced ones. Yet you emulate the strength of an eight-year-old human."

The girl sighed. "These inhibitors were build in me from the start. After Ciel found me, she unlocked them, but I have never disabled them before."

Her mentor appeared thoughtful. "Are you afraid of hurting Ciel?" he asked at length.

Alouette nodded reluctantly. "I want to be a daughter to mommy Ciel. I want to be close to her. With the inhibitors on, I don't have to worry about... about accidentally crushing her", she added, now a bit close to tears.

Zero sighed. "Alouette, whether you keep them on or off is your choice, but while we train and in case you actually need to protect Ciel, you'll have to turn them off. And if you've never experienced the true power of a reploid, you'll surely have problems controlling your strength", he explained.

Ciel's protegee took a big breath, then concentrated, accessing her systems. "Password: Passy", she whispered, then her eyes went wide. It felt like shackles she never knew were there suddenly vanishing. Her arms and legs became much lighter, her senses sharpened and she felt as if able to fly. Almost in trance, she ducked and picked a rock from the ground, then clenched her tiny fingers around it. The rock shattered fairly easily, crumbling into smaller pieces and she gasped. Dizzy with the new sensations, she tried to step forward, lost her balance and would have crashed on the ground face-first if Zero hadn't caught her.

"Are you alright?" asked the red hunter concerned.

Alouette nodded, still hardly believing the new sensations. "It's...it's a bit too much", she responded, returning to her feet. "I'll definitely be having control issues if I don't get used to it."

Zero nodded. "Good. As soon as you feel ready, we can try again", he added, indicating the pipes they had both dropped.

This time, Alouette moved three times faster than before, causing the pipes to slightly dent at the point of impact. Remembering Zero's advice, she instantly pulled back and slashed lower, then higher again. Zero blocked every hit, a smile developing on his lips. He didn't mention it to the girl, but the inhibitors had actually benefited her, acting very much like weights that had been training her synthetic muscles. She was actually stronger than most of the reploids Zero had seen in the Resistance.

"That's enough for now", he ordered after a while, Alouette thankfully stopping her assault. Her breath was labored and artificial sweat had covered her body to prevent her systems from overheating.

"It will take me years to come even close to a regular soldier, right?" she asked a bit disheartened after she caught her breath.

Zero smirked at that. "That would be true if you were a human. For us reploids, there can be certain shortcuts." Without waiting for her to respond, he touched her forehead with his fingers and accessed her systems. The automated defenses in place, meant to prevent a viral attack, were no match for his systems. After establishing a link he compiled data from memories into files and started transferring them.

**#anarmed. dat transferred successfully.**

#melee. dat transferred successfully.

#ranged. dat transferred successfully.

#special. dat transferred successfully.

#mainWZcore. dat transferred successfully.  


Alouette blinked after the transfer was over, regarding Zero curiously. "What was that?" she asked, rubbing her head.

"I just saved you a decade of training by giving you some of my basic battle data. From what I remember, such transfers are rarely completely successful, but when they do succeed they cut down a lot of training time", he explained.

"You gave me your battle data?" asked Alouette incredulously, her face beaming.

Zero frowned a bit. "Just because you have them as files doesn't mean you have the skills themselves. You still need a lot of training to make this knowledge yours and nothing can substitute experience. I just eliminated any advantage a combat reploid fresh from the factory would have over you."

The girl's response was to promptly hug him. "Thank you for taking me seriously, Zero. It's very important to me that you would do that."

Zero did not return the hug but patted her on the head instead. "It's the least I can do. You have helped me a lot without knowing it, you know."

Before she could ask him what he meant, his comm. came online. "_Zero, can you please come to the command center? We have a situation here",_ came Ciel's voice.

"I'll be there in ten", he replied, noticing that the scientist's voice was not really urgent. "Let's go", he said to both Alouette and Nephar, that had just emerged from its cap.

**-c-c-**

"What other data do you have?" asked Ciel while reading from the command center's screen at high speed.

"_Not too much, ",_ responded Nelly from the other side of the line. "_What we know is that X is adamant about retrieving any surviving prisoners. He probably thinks that letting them escape will make him look weak."_

Ciel nodded at that. "We will do our best to save them. Your branch did a prime work as always, Nelly. Tell Dante I said hi."

"_Will do, Dr. Ciel. We will call back if we have further info. 55__th__ branch out."_

Zero chose that moment to enter the chamber and regarded Colbor, Cerveau and some other commanders he did not know by name.

Ciel nodded at him. "Good, we can start", she started, putting on her game face. "Four Neo-Arcadian prisoners managed to escape and hijack a shuttle. Neo-Arcadia shot them down, somewhere deep into the desert, but we believe they have survived the crash. Colbor team", she continued indicating said commander, "has already sent scouts in that area, but they are definitely not enough. The first reports talk about many rogue mechaniloids. In addition, Neo-Arcadia itself has dispatched three Jin'en divisions with orders to eliminate the prisoners. Our mission is to reach the shuttle before them and rescue any survivors. I have already prepared detailed scouting plans and I want everybody's input", she finished, transmitting the data to everybody in the room.

While the rest were occupied, Zero approached Ciel. "Why are you so anxious to save them", he asked quietly. "You sounded more nervous than usual."

Ciel sighed. "These reploids were declared maverick because they failed to stop us during the warehouse #13 mission. Three of them are the same that tried to stop you there. I feel responsible for what happened to them", she explained whispering.

Zero nodded but persisted. "That's not all, though."

The pink-clad scientist silently cursed Zero's intuition. "I don't want the others to know, but chances are the second Guardian of X, Fighting Fefnir is leading the Jin'en. He is way too strong for us to defeat."

He raised a brow. "Fighting Fefnir, you say."

Ciel noticed a glint in his eyes and blanched. "Zero, don't even think about it. Fefnir is really dangerous and everybody here knows to retreat if they see him anywhere near. Whatever happens, you must not try to fight him."

Zero held back a smile. "We will see..." he responded ambiguously.

Before Ciel could express her exasperation at that response, the other commanders decided to offer their suggestions. As the meeting continued, Zero remained silent, leaning against a wall and taking in any useful information. At the same time, he made sure his systems were running at peak condition. He had a feeling the impending mission would require it.

**-c-c-**

And this ends chapter 27. You know I usually follow action-packed chapters with down-time ones. I was intending to develop Alouette ever since I first started this story and her appearance in ZX only made it easier for me. I will probably return to Axl's misadventures in the next chapter along with the first desert mission, so stay tuned.

For review responses and questions, check Aria6's forum. Link included in my profile.


	28. Desert race

**Chapter 28: Desert race**

- - -**  
**

One by one, the resistance commanders left the room, each briefed and assigned a task, until only Ciel and Zero remained. 

"Now let's talk about your mission", she prompted, once again examining the data on the main screen. 

Zero also regarded the map that was on display. The whole desert area was split into hexagons and the separate units, along with their predetermined scouting routes, were prominently displayed. "It's a no-brainer really. You have enough forces to cover all of the area, barely, but we all know chances are the shuttle has crashed somewhere around area TG-76a", he stated, indicating an hexagon close to the map's center. "By sticking close to this area, not only will I have good chances to locate the shuttle but I'll be close enough to help any other unit that does."

Ciel frowned a bit at that. "Neo-Arcadia has already deployed a T-net around area TG-76a. Not even escape units will be working", she commented, pointing at a red-rimmed circle that covered most of the map.

Zero nodded. "We will have to either locate and destroy their T-net device, hack its codes or move any survivors out of its range before we can save them. I will be able to help with any of these tasks."

Ciel eyed him uncertainly. "Who are you taking with you?"

"I'll just take Nephar along."

The pink-clad scientist puffed her cheeks, openly glaring at him, or at least she tried to. The result was more comical and cute than intimidating. 

Zero successfully suppressed laughter. "No, let me finish. We have been training together for a while. Nephar is far more competent than the average metool."

Ciel shook her head. "I have heard both your report and Bianka's. I know Nephar is a metool only in shape. Still, it's not enough. Take twenty soldiers with you. They'll be under your command."

Zero frowned. "I can move much faster alone and you can't pull these soldiers from under their commanding officers. I don't even have a rank inside the Resistance and I think it's for the best."

The girl sighed. "At least take Bolthor, Bianka and the two elves with you."

"Bianka and Isis are already assigned in Colbor's team and he'll be needing all the help he can get. His assigned area is very dangerous", reminded her the crimson warrior.

"Then take Bolthor and Siri. I refuse to let you there alone, Zero. The Jin'en travel in groups of at least twenty."

Zero cocked a brow at that. "I was right. You do seem awfully worried about this mission."

She lowered her gaze in response. "I messed up during the factory mission, Zero. I completely missed the secondary security system and got you and Bianka trapped. You had to fight that terrible thing by yourselves."

It was his turn to sigh. "The secondary system was off the network gird. You said so yourself. Plus, the Hydragon would have massacred any regular soldiers. We barely had enough space to dodge as it was."

Ciel was, quite uncharacteristically, close to tears. "I was supposed to know that! As your navigator I'm supposed to know these things", she shouted, turning around and refusing to look at him.

"Yes, I suppose omnipotence and precognition are tough qualities to have", he joked, ignoring Ciel's snort. "Look, I'm not asking for miracles and I'm not promising any. I know you always do your best and that's enough for me", he added a bit softer, placing a hand on her shoulder. She tensed at first then relaxed, turning to face him with a faint smile on her lips. 

"Zero, I... thank you."

The blond warrior simply nodded, turned around and went to leave the room. "I need to be going now. I'll probably take Bolthor and Siri along, after all."

Ciel tried to say something more and actually extended her hand to stop him, but he was already out of her reach. She sighed again, clenching her hand and slowly returning her arm to her side. "Stupid", she whispered, feeling her face that was blushing. "How stupid I am..."

**-c-c-**

"What a moving scene. Why, I think my eyes went teary."

This time Axl was not surprised. The voice he heard behind him was quite characteristic of its owner. The black hunter had already realized his current adventure was not exactly real and frankly expected this visitor. 

"What do you want, Sigma?" he asked almost bored. 

The old Maverick leader circled around Axl slowly, his steps large and audible. He was sporting his first body, the body he had been created with and the one he had rebelled with. "Why, I'm hurt. I might not have as much history with you as with X and Zero, but we have fought each other many times. Is this any way to greet an old friend?"

Axl sighed wearily. "You are dead. As in dead-dead. You won't be coming back for millennia, if ever. In fact, I'm convinced you are nothing more than a figment of my imagination."

To his surprise, the larger reploid nodded slowly. "It is unfortunate, really. There just isn't anybody as foolish as Gate used to be. I have to put myself back together the old-fashioned way. However, I am here now. You called me."

Axl frowned. "I'm not so sure about that. You are the last person I'd want to see."

Sigma raised a brow at that. "And Lumine was someone you did want to see?"

The black hunter snorted at that, producing his pistol and taking aim right at Sigma's red forehead orb. "I'm not in the mood for your games, Sigma. Fight or flee if you must but stop standing there like we are old pals." 

The Maverick shrugged then turned and started walking away. "Sure. Just keep making me proud, kid", he added, causing Axl's eyes to go wide. 

A shot from the black hunter's weapon hit the floor before the Maverick leader, forcing him to stop. "What do you mean I make you proud?" he demanded.

Sigma turned around only partially. Even though his eyes lacked visible irises, Axl could tell one of them was starring right at him. "Do you know what my ultimate goal always was?" he inquired instead of offering the expected answer. 

Axl kept frowning. "You wanted to kill the humans and rule over anything that was left."

Sigma smiled widely at that. "Wrong! I might have wanted both of these things, but my main goal was is and will always be evolution. I just thought the humans were incapable of becoming better, therefor I had to eliminate them. You hunters proved me wrong-for now."

"What does your precious evolution have to do with me?"

The larger reploid started chuckling, then laughing. Axl regarded him incredulously. There was a certain surrealism in watching the dreaded embodiment of the Maverick Virus losing it like that. Sigma wiped a few tears from his eyes, which was weird by itself since Axl knew that at least his first body did not include tear ducts. At long last, he calmed down enough to speak. "Like X, Light, Zero, Gate and Weil, you continue surviving in some form and even thriving. It is very ironic X became what I wanted to be, really. Ruler of most of the civilized world. And you! You used your copy chip to become an almost exact copy of Zero. Surely it messed you up, but you survived and next time you try it, it will be less severe."

Axl shuddered at that. "I don't think I'll be taking any more chances."

Sigma smirked. "Each of us is driven by many things, Axl. Mine was ambition, contempt and desire. X is more of a compassion and progress kind of guy while Zero survives on a peculiar conglomeration of friendship, loyalty and bloodlust. If what drives you demands it, you will be using that power again and more. Provided you do survive this time."

The black hunter blinked at that. "I'm still asleep, aren't I? In a coma perhaps?" he asked unsure. 

"That's for you to figure out", replied Sigma cryptically. "If you survive, you will keep getting stronger and that pleases me immensely. At least until my great return", he added mirthfully. 

This time, Axl smirked back "And I'll be ready for you. Next time I see your ugly mug, I'll get rid of you for a billion years."

The only response was Sigma's laughter that slowly faded away as he walked away and vanished. Axl watched his back the whole time, then stiffened when he felt another, different presence behind him. "Who is this time? This is getting tiresome", he exclaimed as he turned around. The person behind him, though, caused a wide smile to appear on his face.

"Did you miss me, Axl?"

**-c-c-**

Second Neo-Arcadian guardian Fefnir marched on the scorching hot sand with little regard. Compared to his last polar mission, this locale was paradise. Despite the fact his body was even more tolerant of low temperatures than of high, he felt much more at ease under the radiant and unmerciful desert sun. The fact he was allowed to destroy anything in this area without his siblings whining about collateral damage was an added bonus. 

There was only one factor ruining his good mood. "A walk through the desert! Isn't it romantic, general?" inquired Anubis Necromancess the Third while floating next to him. 

Fefnir regarded his second in command and frowned. Anubis' design was a cruel joke in his opinion. The Egyptian-themed reploid was of the female persuasion in anything but her face. Fefnir's second in command had an alluring female voice and a matching, perfectly humanoid body from the neck down when she removed her armor. She was also a skilled and reliable warrior with unique powers, a talented strategist and very good company, all of which were very attractive to the red general. However, Fefnir could not get over Anubis' only flaw. Just like her namesake, her head resembled the head of a jackal and the armor was non-removable. 

"Anubis, I believe I gave you a direct order to stop flirting with me in any shape, kind or form", he growled, trying to ignore the snickers and catcalls from the subordinates behind him. The Jin'en regime was far less regal than Harpuia's Rekku army. Fefnir only demanded discipline when it was truly needed and would rather brawl with any troublemakers and show them who's boss rather than court-martial them.

"Oh, but I can't help it, general. My mechanical heart beats so loud in your presence." Just because Fefnir did not enjoy the attention, it didn't mean Anubis was about to give up. The Neo-Arcadian desert combat specialist was nothing if not persistent. After she had tried to get a make-over and learned that changing her facial features would interfere with her powers and perhaps her survival, she decided to forego subtlety and keep hitting on the her hapless general as much as possible. Her tactical value was too great to threaten her rank, after all, and she was well aware that if not for her unfortunate facial features, she would have had Fefnir wrapped around her finger. She had decided she would whittle away his resistance in time.

For the time being, the red general was less than amused. Sighing, he stepped to his left yet again, trying to maintain a strictly professional distance between himself and Anubis. He idly wondered how much off their original route they were because of his constant sidestepping. 

His musings were interrupted by one of his soldiers' voice. "Incoming hostiles at nine o'clock, sir", he cautioned, looking at his portable datapad. Fefnir turned to regard him. While he was not really meant for combat, his tactical and analyzing skills and equipment were impressive. 

"Is it the Resistance, Aug?" he inquired, addressing him by name while scanning the area to his left.

"Negative, sir", replied his subordinate in a formal tone. After squinting a bit at his screen, Aug continued. "It appears to be a team of rogue mechaniloids. Specifically camel-shaped ones. They are fire-based and classified as a rank C threat but there are quite a lot of them."

Fefnir sighed a bit. Aug had been transferred recently from the Rekku army and was always very stiff around him. "It could have been worse", he mumbled. "He could have been from the Meikai army. Fairy always picks the loony ones." The news was a welcome distraction, though, not only because of the prospect of facing some action but also because his soldiers could use the experience. Instead of using his comm, Fefnir raised his voice high enough to be heard by everyone. "Listen up soldiers! We have a minor fight before us. A bunch of mechaniloids has decided to try their luck against us. Consider the following battle as high grade training. Whoever scores the most frags will be considered for rank advancement. Be sure to read the enemy data through the TacNet." At the end of his sentence, the red general nodded at Aug, prompting him to share his information with everyone. The download took less than a second. 

Anubis decided to act her rank for once. "Should we use a specific attack plan?"

Fefnir snorted. "It's not necessary. This enemy is a joke, but if it will make you feel better, use basic formation Theta." Said formation was meant for armies with a large amount of melee fighters and a small number of ranged ones and was used to prevent the close attackers from obscuring the shooters' line of sight. While most in the Jin'en army could fulfill both roles, they usually preferred the close and personal approach. 

"As you wish, my general", she responded, ignoring his ensuing groan.

**-c-c-**

Once again, the Transerver room was buzzing with activity. The dedicated operator, especially assigned to this post because of the occasion, could barely keep things under control. The procedure was simple in principal. Each search team leader would enter the room, give the operator a list with the soldiers he was taking with him, then wait for his team number to be called. 

In practice, the problems were abundant. The whole operation was planned hastily since time was an issue. Sometimes, two team leaders would try to draft the same soldier. In many occasions, the teams were not complete when their turn came, resulting in lost time and lost temper. Also, many Resistance soldiers would decide it would be a good idea to go and ask the operator in charge about who their assigned team leader was. 

Zero couldn't suppress a smirk when he reached the corridor before the server room. Amidst the chaos and confusion, nobody gawked at his entrance. It was refreshing not to be marked as a legendary hero for once. 

It wasn't too hard for him to find who he was looking for. Bolthor and Bianka's power signatures were like Venus amidst the stars. Hard to miss if you knew what you were looking for. The two reploids were close to Colbor's group, one of the more sane-looking teams. 

Colbor noticed him immediately, offering his hand and grasping his wrist in a typical warrior's handshake. "Good to see you again Zero. If you weren't getting your own team, I would have gone to some serious lengths to draft you in mine."

The red hunter grinned. "I fear it will be the other way around. I'll be taking some of your people if they want to come."

Colbor's eyes went wide at that. "Let me keep Bianka", he pleaded. "My team is getting one of the ruin areas and she is the only pathfinder I've got."

"As well as the best you could find", added Bolthor, quickly joining the conversation. 

"I'm not that good", replied said white ninja, appearing from behind the gray warrior's bulk. 

"Exactly. You are actually much better", riposted Bolthor, always ready to boost her ailing self-confidence. 

Zero faked a cough to remind everybody of his presence before the couple could go on. "Actually, Ciel wanted me to take both of you along as well as both of our favorite cyber-elves. She is very antsy about this mission. I settled with only taking Bolthor and Siri along, though, and only if they agree. You get to baby-sit the pyromaniac", he explained, retaining a straight face even when everybody else listening snickered. 

As if summoned by his voice, the elves appeared above the group. "I'm old enough not to need to be baby-sat or protected from the cold harsh world", complained Isis half-seriously. 

Siri assumed a rare mischievous smile. "You don't get it, do you? It's the world that needs protection from you." Isis' response at that was consistent with her usual levels of maturity, as well as less vocal and more physical.

As the white elf tried to kick her multicolored companion off the air, Bolthor turned to regard Zero. "I'll be happy to work with you. After all, with Bianka there Colbor will be hard-pressed to run into trouble."

Zero nodded. "As long as you don't mind, we'll leave at once, provided the two elves above me don't kill each other first", he replied. 

As on cue, Isis stopped trying to commit cyber-elficide and landed on Zero's shoulder. "What do you mean you'll leave at once? We have been waiting for almost half an hour for the queue to empty."

Siri landed on his other shoulder. "I'm pretty sure Zero and his team have priority", she offered. 

The red hunter nodded at that. "That's right. Special team, special privileges", he clarified, for once quite a bit smugly. 

Isis took exception to that. "That's not fair! Just because you are a super-duper hero of legend and then some, does it mean you get to go first?"

Zero and Siri glanced at each other momentarily then turned to Isis again. "Of course!" they replied in unison. 

The white cyber-elf blinked at the response delivered in stereo, then took flight, buzzing around Colbor's head. "Why couldn't you be someone more important? Even an insignificant maverick hunter that has survived the Elf Wars would have been enough! Or you could go challenge a Guardian and win. That would show them!"

The Resistance commander looked sheepish, taking a step back and glancing at Zero pleadingly. The crimson warrior simply waved goodbye and after Bolthor had received his customary good luck kiss from Bianka, the two male warriors walked towards the Transerver room along with Siri and Nephar, that seemed to appear out of thin air.

**-c-c-**

"Did you miss me, Axl?"

The voice was high-pitched and very childish, but there was also a darker, sad undertone present. Axl smiled widely, unconsciously passing his hand through the spikes of his hair. "Cinnamon! Cinny! I was hoping to see you again."

The nurse reploid mirrored his expression. "You know I'm not really here, though, don't you?"

Axl sighed. "I'd rather not think like that", he replied soberly. Hesitantly, he took her hands in his own, then embraced her. "I missed you. When I learned Giga city had been attacked during the evacuation I did my best to find what had happened to you. Everybody was going crazy back then. Nobody knew who had been evacuated and whether the evac points were safe. All records were lost when the overseer mainframe short-circuited and later Weil came to the open. I'm so sorry…"

Cinnamon hugged the black hunter tighter for he was very close to tears. "There is nothing to forgive, Axl. You won the war for us and you keep doing your best", after a while, she held him at arm's length. "We might not be able to divine the future, but we still have our mutual treasured memories. Live well and know I will always be there for you."

"Thank you, Cinny. It means a lot." After some moments of silence, the redhead hunter raised a brow. "So what lesson are you here to teach me? Even I have figured out each of you hides a meaning."

Cinnamon seemed amused. "It's two things actually. First of all, not every metaphysical experience such as this should have a hidden secret message." She laughed aloud when Axl gawked, then her eyes softened. "Secondly, you have been here for a long while. If we are to ever meet again for real, you must wake up, sleepyhead", she added affectionately. 

At his unsure visage, she giggled, rushing forward and causing their noses to bump. "Here, let me give you an appetizer", she whispered, then kissed him on the lips with fervent intensity. The black hunter promptly had his higher brain circuit functions suspended and closed his eyes, letting himself be lost in the sensation. 

After what seemed like a couple eternities, he opened them again, only to feel the slight sting of the blue suspension fluid around his body. Then the real pain came. An abrupt neural system reboot following a long time of inactivity might be relatively safe for a reploid but it's also one of the most painful experiences, just a bit milder that getting ripped in half. 

"Son of a bitch!", he tried to scream, although what came out sounded a lot more as an indecipherable burble.

**-c-c-**

Bianka signaled the rest of her unit to stay silent, then motioned at Isis. The white cyber-elf nodded, phasing through the ruin walls and vanishing from sight. Many moments passed, resulting some of the soldiers to start fidgeting. Colbor was fast to glare at them and bring them back to order, though. At length, the cyber-elf returned and after exchanging a glance with the white ninja, she nodded towards the opposite direction. The whole team moved with great stealth toward the designated region and only allowed themselves to relax after a full four minutes. 

"They are there alright", started Isis seriously. "It looked like an outpost of some kind. Five red-armored guards, four pantheons and a couple techies with a lot of equipment. They are busy setting up shop. No stationary defenses though."

Colbor appeared thoughtful at that. "We can either avoid them or try to take them out. Each option has its risks." While the Resistance commander had a lot of experience under his belt, he didn't really feel confident about his rank. Superb leadership skills had been Milan's thing, after all. "What do you think, Bianka?"

The white ninja was far from a paragon of confidence, but her strategic grasp was strong. "Trying to take them on will be dangerous, but leaving them be is worse. They are apparently coordinating the Jin'en units in the immediate area and even if we avoid those, we will still be traced when they finish deploying their sensors."

Colbor nodded. "First of all, we will need a distraction." His eyes slowly turned to Isis. The cyber-elf was floating at eye level, tiny hands at either sides of her waist, and she was smirking a bit maniacally.

**-c-c-**

Fefnir leaped above a camel-shaped mechaniloid, effortlessly avoiding the flamethrower grafted in its mouth. His buster's jaws closed around the camel's head and his momentum ensured the vital body part was ripped right off its body's frame. Landing casually, he spin-kicked another desert mount imitation then fired off a tongue of flame, spearheaded by the rapidly melting camel head. Not spying any other immediate target, he performed an about face just in time to see a spike formed from sand as it perforated another mammal mockery. 

Millions of sand particles left the ground and congealed to form Anubis' body. Nobody had yet figured out how her sand-form ability worked and their inability to replicate the Jin'en second in command was the reason for both her value and her continued cosmetic curse. "This last kill I dedicate to you, master Fefnir", she proclaimed, performing a respectful bow. 

For a split second the red general genially smiled for she always had a way to make him laugh. It might as well have been a mirage for how long it lasted. "Don't be so cocky about scraping a nuisance like that", he huffed, trying to regain his composure. Anubis' self-satisfied smirk, however, told him she had picked up his initial reaction. 

Grumbling to himself, Fefnir inspected the rest of his men. A couple of them were slightly charred at spots but it was exclusively armor damage. "Was that all of them?" he asked, facing Aug. 

Said tactical scout consulted his datapad. "Affirmative, general. There is another herd twenty clicks from our current position, but they are way out of our operations area."

The red general nodded, quite a bit wistfully. He would have loved to take on the second herd, but a mission was a mission. The shuttle had to be found or his master would get very very cranky. Copy X had many cruel and unusual ways to show his displeasure. 

"Ignore them but notify the other divisions. These things are enemies of Neo-Arcadia, after all, and should be eliminated should one of the other teams happens upon them. Target of opportunity range should be five clicks." While Aug relayed his general's message, Fefnir spoke to Anubis. "We are closer to where the crash site must be. Let's split our forces again. You will lead the one half while I'll take the rest."

Anubis frowned at that, not eager to leave his side. "Don't you think I could serve you better by staying at your side?" she asked, quite a bit wistfully. 

If not for the jackal face, her watery eyes would have soundly caved in Fefnir's resolve. As it was, the red guardian let a long-suffering sigh. "Think practically, Anubis", he replied at length, deciding to use a different approach that few would expect him to know. "After myself, you are the strongest warrior in Jin'en and a worthy leader to boot. Our troops need you to lead and protect them."

Anubis blinked, then secretly smiled. She would have loved to record that little speech and wipe the smirks off anybody that thought her love was a simpleton. She was definitely trapped in Fefnir's reasoning. Not only did she take her responsibility to her subordinates very seriously, but also that same trait was one of the things the general himself valued. 

Oh well, she could still show him his faith was hardly misplaced. "And lead them, I shall. I won't let you down, my general", she declared, saluting and proceeding to select the soldiers she would take along. Before leaving, she couldn't help but shoot him another longing look.

**-c-c-**

"How is that emitter coming?" Morvex's tone was bored rather than urgent. The black warrior was not used to staying idle and there was little to do while stranded in the middle of the desert, amidst the carcass of a ruined shuttle. 

Max sighed at that. "At least this is the first time you ask. Bernard has been bugging me constantly. To answer your question, I just finished", he declared, indicating a power cable with a free jack at its tip. "I'll be using the shuttle's haul as a signal amplifier and the frequency will be changing constantly. Just plug this cable on the power core and we are done."

The black warrior regarded the item with quite a bit trepidation. They were about to announce their presence to anybody with a radio receiver, after all. "How is your leg?" he stalled. "I want to know how soon to ditch you if we have to run."

The reploid scientists frowned at first, then sighed. "Your concern is touching. It was a quick fix, but I'll be able to run full speed for at least five minutes on it. The others?"

"Out patrolling. Oh well, standing here like a statue won't save us", he decided at length, just before attaching the jack on a power relay. Instantly, a small, haphazardly assembled device next to Max started humming and both reploids let a breath they didn't know they were holding.

**-c-c-**

"I'm still saying this whole operation is pointless." The technician offering that opinion was busy setting up a portable antenna while the other two of his friends were initializing its software. 

One of the five red-armored soldiers was leaning close to a wall nearby and decided to join the conversation. "Eh, it's not that bad. Usually it's either police duty in the City or support while our commanders clean house. It's kinda good being close to action for once."

The other technician frowned a bit. "I bet it's good for you guys. With this armor you are wearing you're probably feeling the heat as much as the drones do", he responded, indicating the pantheons that were patrolling around their tiny outpost. While the Jin'en soldiers had none of their general's innate resistance to heat, their conditioning and armor, similar to Fefnir's but plainer, were enough to allow them to shrug the desert weather. 

The first technician sighed. "My point is, it's only four mavericks. Three whole regimes searching for four reploids that were probably reduced to pancakes when their little plane crashed is wasteful. Aren't we supposed to be facing an energy crisis?"

Another soldier replied. "I heard the general talking about it. It's the principal of the thing. Rumor has it, we are competing with the Resistance on this one."

"Then it's a pride thing. Figures", responded the second technician. "I'm pretty sure that's bull. The Resistance is probably sitting tight in their secret base and definitely out of this infernal sun while we get our microcircuitry boiled out here."

The first soldier laughed. "You're probably right. Why would anyone think they can stand up to the Jin'en, after all?"

His question seized being a rhetoric one when a new, high-pitched voice responded. "Probably because you are all ugly and twice as stupid."

Everybody except the pantheons turned towards the voice. Apparently, the drones were not programmed to assess cyber-elves as threats. 

"Who's there?" barked one of the Jin'en, his rifle poised and ready. 

The cyber-elf phased out of a boulder and made sure to amplify her white aura. "If you can't even tell that, it's even worse than I thought. You've probably dropped the area's average IQ when you camped here. Beatles and lichen should be smarter that you lot." 

That had a diverse effect. The technicians snicker a bit while the five soldiers glared at Isis menacingly. One of them fired an energy blast at her and she simply danced away in midair. "Now, that was lame. Your aim is even worse than your pink armor."

"It's red, not pink!" bellowed the five Jin'en in unison, leaving little doubt about who their general was. 

"Seems pink to me", mused Isis, absently avoiding another energy shot. "Why don't you all come here and show me what you've got. I'll beat you all up! I'll kick your asses and transmit your names", she declared, shadowboxing towards their direction with her tiny fists. 

The five decided they had had enough and started towards the white fey, but one of the technicians stopped them. "Let it be, it's only a pest. We have work to do here."

As the soldiers seemed to hesitate, Isis sighed. "Pity. And I did my best, too." Her pensive visage changed into a smirk too toothy to be considered sane. "Back to the basics, then: Arson."

As everybody sentient around her blinked, the electronic fairy released a hail of tiny flames upon them. The technicians had to pat their clothes to keep the fire from doing real damage and the soldiers merely shielded their eyes. More importantly, Isis little display of pointless torching was more than enough for the five Jin'en to go after her. She flew away laughing, making sure to go just fast enough to be out of their reach.

"That's also a pride thing", commending one of the technicians.

The other two nodded. "I'm worried a bit. We just lost our guards, after all", cautioned another.

The third technician shook his head. "Don't worry, the drones are still here after…"

The phrase in his mouth died a horrible death as one of the pantheons' heads exploded in a hail of buster shots. A blink later, a black-hilted, red energy knife buried itself in another pantheon's eye. The other two X-droids tried to return fire, but Colbor swung his energy axe, deflecting the projectiles with the flat side of the weapon and allowing the rest of his unit to cut the drones down. 

Before the three technicians could reach for their side-arms, fifteen rifles and three energy swords rose to their level. Frozen with fear, they watched as Bianka came into sight and retrieved her dagger, then proceeded to swiftly disarm them, taking away their plain energy handguns. 

"What are you going to do to us?" asked one of the now captives nervously. He had already seen the Resistance insignia, the stylized red 'R' symbol prominently displayed on their attackers' uniforms. 

"Steal your souls and sell you for parts", deadpanned Colbor as he replaced his Axe handle on his belt. He rolled his eyes when the three Neo-Arcadians paled visibly. "What kind of propaganda is Neo-Arcadia leading?" he wondered aloud. "Cooperate and you will stay unharmed." Not waiting for a response, he turned to one of his soldiers that had put away his weapon and was fiddling with the antenna controls. 

"This is child's play. I can link this thing with Dr. Ciel in my sleep", he claimed without waiting for a vocal question. Colbor merely nodded an affirmative. 

"Our companions will soon stop hunting after your little pixie and return", shouted one of the technicians that had started to regain his wits. As on cue, a loud explosion resounded from the direction the Jin'en corps had ran. 

"They'll be too busy digging themselves out of the ruins", replied the Resistance commander almost as an afterthought, opening his comm. and using an encrypted frequency. "We have captured an outpost with a direct link to the enemy's TacNet. We are linking you now."

"_Great work, Colbor. I'm in. I'll be sure to mislead any enemy unit depending on this outpost"_, replied Ciel's voice. 

"What should we do with the captives?" inquired the commander. 

"_Be sure not to mistreat them. You can tie them up and leave them close to the outpost so that their comrades can retrieve them. Just don't…"_

"Ciel? Is everything okay?" asked Colbor when the Resistance leader stopped talking. 

_"I just caught a distress signal coming from where the shuttle must have crashed."_

"Is it possible for the enemy to notice?"

"_There is no way to miss this Colbor. Everything with a radio and basic triangulation knowledge within a three hundred-click radius will know where they are."_

The axe-wielding commander cursed under his breath. "Should we rush to them? We are fairly close to these coordinates", he asked after contemplating the incoming data.

Ciel seemed unsure for a while, then started to voice an affirmative when Zero's voice entered the channel. _"Negative, Colbor. Bolthor and I will go for the shuttle. The rest of the units should try to stall the Jin'en",_ ordered the crimson hunter with unusual authority. 

"_Are you sure you two will be alright?"_ questioned Ciel.

Zero considered this for a while. _"If you can find their T-net generator, send Colbor to destroy it. It will make everything easier. Zero out."_

Colbor still waited for his leader's decision. "What should we do, Ciel?"

He heard a sigh from his comm. _"He is absolutely right, Colbor. The Jin'en are already moving towards the signal, surrounding half of our troops in the process. You need to disable their T-net. I have traced the emitter through their TacNet and I'm sending the new coordinates",_ she added, then hesitated. _"Be careful, Colbor. There are ten Jin'en elites and fifteen pantheons guarding it. I'll contact ten other of our units and place them under your command to assist you."_

Colbor consulted his data again and sighed. "Only five units are close enough to help. If you pull more, Zero and any survivors will be overwhelmed."

"_Six units are not nearly enough to fight them. You must try to either sneak past them or disable the device very fast and use you escape units_."

Bianka entered the channel at that. "I can do that, commander Colbor, Dr. Ciel", she announced with as much courage she could master. 

Colbor raised a brow at her outburst while the young scientist sounded worried. _"Are you sure you will be alright, Bianka?"_

The white ninja nodded. "I have to. Bolthor believes in me. Zero believes in me. They both count on me to do my part. I… I don't want to be weak anymore", she explained her voice cracking a bit. 

At first, the pink-clad scientist remained silent. At length she sighed_. "Very well. These are your orders. Colbor, your unit will proceed two clicks south from the Neo-Arcadian outpost guarding the T-net generator. The landscape there will allow you to avoid visual contact with the enemy, while I'll hack into their TacNet and conceal you from their sensors. Bianka will continue and covertly destroy the generator while you are waiting for five more units to reinforce your position. If she is successful, all of you are to use escape units and evacuate at once. If not… you are to assist her with her task, then evacuate immediately."_

Colbor smiled despite their precarious situation. Ciel had improved her commanding tone quite a bit. "Roger, ma'am!" he responded, keeping a straight face and voice.

Ciel blushed heavily at that but continued. _"Come back alive, please. Ciel out."_

**-c-c-**

Zero smirked as he listened in on Colbor and Ciel's conversation, then deactivated his comm. He and Bolthor were dashing on the hot sands as fast as possible with Nephar keeping up behind them and Siri resting on the red hunter's shoulder. "Your girlfriend has come a long way. You have helped her find her courage", he commented.

Bolthor smiled, absently kicking a snake mechaniloid that leaped out of the sand and tried to ambush them. "You have helped Bianka as much as I have, my friend", he laughed. "Since the first time I met her, inside a Neo-Arcadian dungeon, I knew there was something special about her. Building her confidence has been an uphill battle, but I'm proud I can live and fight at her side." 

Siri sighed at that. "You two are so lucky to have each other. You love each other and you are both fighters. You can share that aspect of your lives. You can understand each other", she commented, trying to conceal some bitterness. 

"This unit theorizes lady Siri envies master Bolthor's and lady Bianka's involvement. This unit wonders if lady Siri has been part of a similar situation with a not so welcome outcome", commented the green metool, earning a glare from the usually mild-mannered fairy. 

"I'm merely a cyber-elf. What would I know about these things", she groused. 

"This is exactly what this unit wonders. This unit's knowledge of cyber-elves is incomplete."

Siri frowned. "Well, this cyber-elf wonders why a mechaniloid would show that much empathy."

Zero and Bolthor would have sworn the green metool gulped. "This unit will stop wondering now", it finished somewhat meekly. 

The gray warrior laughed aloud at that while Zero stayed silent, appearing thoughtful.

Some minutes later, they reached the top of a large dune and paused. The desert below them was shaped as a shallow bowl and the wayward shuttle was resting in its middle, a deep trench etched on the sand behind her, marking her haphazard landing. 

"On your guard, everyone", cautioned the crimson warrior, then took point, walking at a steady pace. His three partners nodded, stretching their respective senses to their limit. 

"Someone's coming from the other side", warned Siri frantically after a while, her excitement turning her flight erratic and her multicolored aura's intensity irregular. 

Surely enough, Zero peered towards the opposite side of the dust bowl, his optics stopping on a group of reploids and pantheons heading towards their destination. At the same time, Anubis Nercomancess the Third regarded her opponents curiously. Their eyes met at the same time and they glared at each other despite their distance. 

After a second of hesitation, both the Neo-Arcadian commander and the legendary maverick hunter resumed walking, eyes on each other and never wavering, their respective companions following their lead.

**-c-c-**

End of chapter 28. While this one is pure setup for the ensuing boss battle, I hope it has proven enjoyable. With Axl waking up and Anubis with so much to prove, things should get very interesting very soon. 

The most difficult part for me in this story is keeping Zero realistic. Some write him exactly as he seems in the games, a cold automaton that rarely talks. However, the same could be said for many other player characters in various games. Legend of Zelda comes to mind and few would claim Link is mute. As for Zero's power level, megamen have proven to be Capcom's Saiyans. They substantially power up only when they really need it. Zero's sync level goes up with time yet it also goes down while his body changes and adapts. 


	29. The Queen of death

**Chapter 29: The Queen of death**

**-c-c-**

Contrary to popular belief, paperwork had failed to be eliminated from the Neo-Arcadian bureaucracy. Surely, the paper used was made of synthetic materials and a large portion of data was processed in digital form, but that didn't stop stacks of paper from accumulating. Hard copies were considered safer, after all.

First guardian Harpuia sighed at the sight of his desk. The guardians only had to take care of a miniscule but crucial portion of the administrative bureaucracy, yet it was enough to drive anyone crazy. The fact that he often had to pick up the slack for two of his fellow guardians didn't help in the least. Fefnir's paperwork would often find its end at the tip of an 'accidental' flamethrower burst, while Fairy's procrastination tendencies would often turn her rarely visited office into an obscured danger zone. Only Phantom pulled his weight, although Harpuia had never seen him actually sitting behind a desk.

The First guardian sighed again. While he loathed to admit it, he would give anything to accompany Fefnir to that fool's errant of a mission in the middle of the desert, even if it was a waste of time and , more importantly, resources. Sage Harpuia realized that he had been doubting his master's orders more and more often and he was not amused. He could already feel the stress of second-guessing himself rolling off his shoulders and knew that something would have to give and fast.

His dubious salvation came in the form of a very nervous yet very determined underling, one he recognized as a promising private from his own Rekku ranks. "Are you busy sir? I have a potential problem to report."

Harpuia held his gaze on the soldier, long enough to give him a chance to retreat. When he failed-barely-to falter, he nodded. "What is the problem?"

"I was in contact with one of the Jin'en soldiers accompanying master Fefnir in the desert, when the signal was suddenly lost. I checked with main control, but nothing else seemed amiss. I believe there is a possible security breach."

The first guardian raised a brow at that, regarding his soldier searchingly. The weaker reploid seemed to wilt under the scrutiny. "And who was the one you where in contact with?" he asked almost casually.

The underling gulped. "M-my girlfriend sir."

Harpuia sighed and rubbed his temples. "So you are telling me you used an unauthorized line to contact another soldier that is currently on a mission. You pirated the TacNet for personal reasons."

"That is the size of it, sir", he replied resigned. "Master Fefnir does not discourage such behavior", he added meekly.

Harpuia glared at him. "While I do", he responded pointedly. Sighing again, he left his office, walking towards the command center and motioning his soldier to follow. "And what is your theory?"

The other reploid regained a bit of his former fervor. "It might be something as simple as a malfunction. In case of a faulty main connection the system is designed to rail in and commandeer the rest of the communication lines and resources. However…"

Harpuia nodded, doubling his walking pace. "However, it could also mean the system is compromised. If an enemy has somehow taken control of Fefnir's TacNet, they would control and filter all official communication. A pirated line, however, one invisible in the normal records, would be disrupted by default and our hypothetical hacker would have no way to know." Turning his head to regard his underling, he let the ghost of a smile touch his lips. "I am impressed by your loyalty and courage. I will ignore your little breach of rules this time. If this is really an emergency, I'll also consider you for promotion. You may return to your duties now."

The soldier tried very hard to hide his elation. "Yes, sir. Thank you sir", he responded before saluting and leaving.

Harpuia increased his gait to a jog. If his suspicions were correct, Fefnir was in trouble and it would be up to him to salvage the day.

**-c-c-**

Zero stopped walking and regarded his enemies carefully. Apart from the Egyptian-themed reploid, there were another twenty pantheons and ten Jin'en soldiers. Normally, he wouldn't have worried about such odds, but the Anubis reploid felt far stronger than the rest. His sensors and instincts were pressing him to make a fight-or-flight decision.

"What is the plan?" inquired Siri urgently, her worry evident.

The red warrior sighed. "You will stay here, well out of range and you will keep your eyes on the rest of the soldiers. Only I can deal with their leader, but if they make a move to interfere or go for the shuttle, you are to intercept them. If that gold-armored reploid comes close, you are to retreat."

"She is a strong one, isn't she?" responded Bolthor his eyes never leaving their foe.

"Energy levels dangerous. Caution required", agreed Nephar.

Siri blinked, then squinted. "How can you tell it's a she?"

Despite the severity of the situation, Bolthor smirked. "I have an eye for these things." When Zero actually took the time to regard him critically, he laughed a bit awkwardly. "Also, I have heard about her. She is Anubis Necromancess the Third, Guardian Fefnir's second in command." His tone switched from flippant to grave. "Be careful, Zero. Rumor has it she is very loyal and cunning, if a bit 'touched in the head', if you know what I mean. She is a desert combat specialist, but I have no idea what this means."

Zero accepted the information with a nod. "It means she has a terrain advantage and will probably keep the rest of her troops out of the way, which is convenient. Stick to the plan and see if you can contact the people in the shuttle. Also contact Ciel and Colbor. The sooner we bring the T-net down the better."

After a quick head-hug from Siri, the crimson fighter walked forward alone, eyes on the enemy.

**-c-c-**

On the other side of the dust bowl, Anubis noticed the red-armored resistance member was approaching alone. She had heard the rumors, of course, and knew Fefnir was excited about the prospect of fighting this one, always a cause for caution and concern. Her general's chosen enemies were usually very dangerous. Turning to her soldiers, she hatched a quick plan of action. "I will meet their leader alone", she declared, daring them to suggest otherwise. "If my theory is correct, this will turn into an all-out, high level duel and you will just be in the way."

"What should we do, ma'am?"

A smile appeared on her jackal face. "As soon as the duel starts, you are to stealthily approach the shuttle. Your orders are the same, kill on sight. If you can engage that Resistance idiot and his metool, do so, but stay away from the red reploid. He is mine."

Trusting her orders would be followed, Anubis floated ahead, her eyes scouring the field for any possible tactical advantage. She and Zero stopped ten meters from each other and regarded their opponent, at first staying silent.

Zero felt uneasy about the coming battle. His initial sensor scans were trying and failing to analyze Anubis' systems and the more in-depth passes were progressing very slowly. His adversary was in even direr situation. During combat, she usually tried her best to divine her enemy's strength and weaknesses, but in this case her scans only revealed a jumble of indecipherable data she couldn't even begin to understand.

Nevertheless, she talked first, aiming to at least intimidate her foe. "I am Anubis Necromancess the Third, queen of death and ruler of the desert. In the name of my master, second guardian Fefnir, I shall retire you."

'**I give her an eight out of ten, as far as intros are concerned'** chimed the voice in Zero's mind. To his credit, the red hunter gave no outward indication of the intrusion.

'I was beginning to think you had left' he groused. 'No such luck, I guess.'

The other entity chuckled. '**I'm here so that you don't get your ass handed to you too much, kid.'**

Zero suppressed a snort, then focused on his opponent. Fortunately, the inward dialogue had barely lasted a second. "You can try", he responded. "I'm here for the reploids in the shuttle and I'm not leaving without them."

The jackal-based reploid nodded in understanding. "So be it then." As soon as she finished her sentence, they both rushed forward, beam saber and shielded staff colliding in the middle. Anubis knew at once her enemy was stronger, so she didn't bother maintaining the block. Floating to her left, she twisted her weapon to the side and attempted to strike Zero with her staff's butt. The red hunter saw it coming and also twisted to the side. Maintaining the initial block, he stepped on her weapon's end and kicked with his other leg, kneeing the Neo-Arcadian right in the face. She yelped in surprise and barely managed to backpedal away, for as soon as Zero touched the ground again, he tried to cut her down to size.

"Not bad", muttered Anubis, frowning a bit. The Jin'en valued close combat a lot and she berated herself for being duped so easily. Still, she thought slyly, her talents lied in other things. Retreating further, she sent her weapon flying towards Zero. As soon as it twirled twice, it seemingly came to life, flying under its own power and homing on the red warrior. Not losing his calm, he expertly parried it twice with one hand while shooting a scattered hail of energy bullets with the buster in his other hand. Anubis let a curse and had to twist and dance very fervently to avoid being hit.

Zero took advantage of her distraction and engaged his EAS, dashing towards her at full speed, hardly visible to the naked eye. Realizing her plight, Anubis recalled her weapon frantically, catching it right as a well-aimed saber jab went to skewer her. They both knew there was no time for her to block the attack, though. Zero felt the tip of his sword as it touched and plunged in her exposed midsection, only protected by a thin elastic armor layer, then gasped in disbelief. The whole area around his sword had turned into sand, not unlike the desert sand around them.

Anubis smirked ferally at him, then her whole body turned into sand along with her staff and spilled away, vanishing among the desert dunes.

**-c-c-**

Ciel was pacing inside the command center, her eyes roving from screen to screen as her team of operators worked. After taking control of the Jin'en TacNet, she had exploited it to its limits. It would have been very easy to simply shut down the whole thing, leaving scores of small teams stranded all over the desert. Instead, she and her team were intercepting the calls between Fefnir's divisions and the Neo-Arcadian command, sometimes allowing them to be transmitted intact, other times slightly altering commands, incoming data and coordinates. With masterful manipulation, she had created two strategic models, one being what her enemies expected to see while the other was the true one. She had made sure to stir the Neo-Arcadian teams away from the T-net generator, her own teams and, especially, the shuttle's crash site, where Zero was currently engaged in mortal combat.

Bolthor had just relayed that particular tidbit of information and had reduced her stomach into a chaotic mass of knots. Ciel had only met Anubis a couple of times, but Fefnir had been talking about her as long as she could remember him, always with a note of reluctant fondness.

She knew the Egyptian-themed reploid was dangerous but there was nothing she could do about it. What she could do was keep Fefnir away from the action for as long as possible. Under no circumstances was Zero to fight any of the guardians, even if he could actually win. She didn't believe herself to be strong enough to endure any result of such a fight. Zero was their only hope and a friend that was rapidly becoming more, while the four guardians were like family to her, estranged family, but kin nonetheless.

"This is Colbor team. We just reached the designated point, two clicks from the T-net generator. Bianka is ready to go."

Ciel rushed to her station and responded. "Roger, Colbor. Work with haste but be careful."

She nodded to herself, but before she could resume her pacing, one of the operators called at her frantically. "Dr. Ciel! They know we took over the TacNet."

Ciel only allowed herself a second of panic, then took control of the situation. Glaring at the warnings Neo-Arcadia was trying to send, she blocked them completely, cutting their connections. "How did they sniff us out?" she muttered to herself. "I made sure to keep all lines intact. A pirate line, then. Damn!" shaking her head, she focused on the task at hand as the Neo-Arcadian command became more and more frantic before stopping altogether.

"What should we do, ma'am?" inquired one of her operators.

"Start emulating the NA command completely and open wider holes in their formation. Our people might need safer escape routes. Also keep on the lookout for First guardian Harpuia", she added, causing many gasps. "Even if he doesn't know of this, he will learn about it soon. He is the fastest thing they have readily available and I don't doubt he will tackle this personally. He will first approach Second guardian Fefnir, so we need to lead him away from Neo-Arcadia, making sure Harpuia's path does not cross our teams' locations."

As the activity in the chamber doubled, Ciel bit her lip worriedly. '_Get out of there fast, Zero.'_

**-c-c-**

'**Instead of gawking, keep your guard up, squire. That ugly-faced doll could reappear anytime.'**

Zero nodded, taking the suggestion at heart. When the sand beneath him started vibrating, he expertly leaped away. A blink later, he stared unbelievingly at the huge pillar of condensed sand that emerged from the dunes. The thing was five times his width and ten times his height, without counting the cruel sharp spikes adorning its top. His right eye twitched as the sand column started moving far faster than what its size would suggest. Hitting it would be akin to colliding with a bus, and while not lethal, it would still be damaging to him. Dashing away, he snarled when more identical pillars emerged around him.

'**Don't be caught between two of these things'** deadpanned the second entity in his head, prompting him to roll his eyes.

"I'll keep it in mind", he muttered, leaping out of the way of two of the columns as they collided, then exploded back to plain sand. Seeing more approaching, he decided to take a gamble. Leaping in the air, he caught one of the pillars and started climbing it, thankful its surface allowed him to successfully cling. As he expected, all the other pillars rushed at him, reaching his position just as he reached the top spikes. Grasping his triple rod, he placed one end against the pillar, extending it just before the collision. As the sand constructs demolished each other, he soared above them, landing as a veil of sand passed him by.

'**block!'** came the command and blocked he did, stopping Anubis' staff as she materialized behind him and tried to attack.

"You'll need to do better than that", he commented, forcing her back before attacking. Out of balance, she haphazardly blocked the first two slashes of a triple slash, but the last, overhead chop caught her on the shoulder and she barely managed to roll with the hit and keep her arm attached.

As she floated higher to avoid another attack, Zero grinned. "This is not so hard."

He tried to level his buster at her, but gasped as several somethings grabbed his ankles and kept him in place. "What the..?" he tried, staring at what seemed to be mechanical arms emerging from the sand.

'**Got a bit too cocky there, kid. The universe is trying to tell you something.'**

'I'm pretty sure your name is not 'universe', so shut up', replied the crimson warrior, quite a bit miffed. Before he could use his beam saber to sever the grabbing hands, he cursed, having to block Anubis' incoming levitating staff. It was quite harder doing so while immobile, but he managed with only a glancing hit on his pelvis' side to tell the tale. At the same time, he reached down with his empty hand and started crashing the offending appendages with his bare fingers.

He freed himself just in time. As soon as Anubis retrieved her weapon, a sharp spike of sand erupted from the ground before him and he moved. The spike prickled him on the leg as he leaped away instead of punching a hole through his power core as it was intended to.

Angry at having her victory denied, Anubis waved with her staff and the owners of the hands dug themselves out of the sandy ground. They were humanoid, albeit with no skin whatsoever and all sported damage that should have rendered them immobile.

'**Elf War droid grunts'**, commented the mysterious voice. **'They manufactured billions of these things back in the day. The desert must be choke full of their remains.'**

"Using these things is insulting", commented Zero casually. "Are you incapable of fighting me yourself?"

Anubis was only affected for a second. "As I said before, I am the queen of death. Not an empty title, I assure you.", she joked. As the droids approached her opponent, she conjured more sand spikes in an effort to box him in and impale him.

"More like queen of scrap metal", he riposted. Ripping the head of a zombie droid, he used his triple rod to leap above another spike. At the apex of his jump, he hurled the head at Anubis and she reflexively blocked it with her weapon. What she couldn't block was the third level buster charge that followed. The radiant green mass of energy caught her off guard, knocking her off the sky. It also broke her concentration, causing the sand spikes to dissipate and the long-dead droids to collapse to their natural state of scrap metal.

Zero blinked in disbelief. "I forgot I could charge this thing so much", he commented, prompting the voice in his head to chuckle. Seizing the unexpected opportunity, he dashed towards Anubis' prone form just as she was pulling herself together. His slash removed part of her torso armor and left a deep gash on the skin underneath, but before he could finish the attack and cleave her in two, she turned into sand again and vanished.

The ruby hunter let an audible groan as the ground started vibrating. "This will take ages…"

**-c-c-**

Initially, Bolthor had been watching the fight with awe. Both Zero and Anubis were moving with speed and grace he could barely perceive. Next to him, Siri was bobbing up and down nervously, very worried about the duel's outcome.

Fortunately for them, Nephar had been keeping vigil in their place. "This unit detects an enemy attempt at stealth. This unit's master's enemy's soldiers are moving towards this team's current objective."

Both reploid and elf blinked at that, trying to parse the metool's words, then their heads snapped towards the downed shuttle like tracking turrets. "Think they can blindside us, huh? Well, I don't think so", muttered Bolthor, his face caught between a smirk and a grimace. He might have been itching for action, but the odds were heavily against them, even allowing for Nephar's and his own unusual prowess.

"I can go ahead and try to contact the fugitives", proposed Siri. "Maybe together we will stand a better chance."

Bolthor nodded and as the digital fairy left, he sighed. "I wish I had Bianka along. She would see right through the stealth shield of these guys." At the end of his own sentence his eyes went wide. "Say..." he started, addressing Nephar. "You wouldn't happen to be able to pinpoint the enemies' positions, would you?"

The green mechaniloid sounded almost smug. "This unit's detecting capabilities are far superior to Neo-Arcadia's inferior attempts at stealth. This unit hardly needs to try. Furthermore, this unit can help master Bolthor see them too." At that, Bolthor blinked disorientated for a second, then his eyes went wide. Nephar had established a link and was transmitting him real time data of their opponents' position. Deciding not to look a gift ride chaser at the beam cannon, he retrieved one of the two energy rifles from his back and started moving as fast as he could while crouching towards the downed craft.

**-c-c-**

Morvex was the first to note the cyber-elf, projecting his orange wrist-blade and preparing to skewer her at the first hostile movement. The four reploids had spotted the two approaching teams almost at once, retreating inside the shuttle and readying themselves for the worst.

"Who are you?" demanded the black armored reploid, blade still extended. Unlike many others, he wasn't about to ignore or underestimate the potential threat a cyber-elf represented.

"I'm Siri, from the Resistance. We are currently engaging a Neo-Arcadian detachment outside, but we are a bit outnumbered. I came to see if any of you can fight", replied Siri, doing an extra effort to calm down and talk at a rational, comprehensible speed.

Morvex nodded, actually smiling a bit. "I thought as much", he responded, donning his scary helmet. "I'm the only one armed among us four", he went on, peering at his unwilling companions in disdain. "Give me a general idea of the battle."

Siri nodded. "Our leader is dueling theirs. They are at a standstill and nobody dares to go close. The rest of the enemies are trying to sneak here. Ten Jin'en, twenty Pantheons, half hunters, half guardians. On our side we have a very advanced combat metool unit and a custom combat expert reploid. We have escape units, but we are under a T-net. Another team is dealing with that. The enemy won't get reinforcements but we might."

Morvex frowned at that. "Basically four to thirty, provided you can pull your weight", he pointed, and Siri bit back a retort. There was no time for arguments.

"You'd be surprised", came another voice from the door and Morvex lashed out reflexively. Bolthor retaliated by parrying the beam blade attack with a black-armored hand. The energy resistant metal, combined with his special energy shield prevented any damage.

"This unit calculates our new ally's strength as substantial. This unit's team's success rate has increased by twenty-three percent", commented Nephar raising a couple of brows.

Michael decided to speak. "As Morvex said, the rest of us are unarmed. I'm Michael, by the way, and these two are Bernard and Max."

The gray-armored warrior nodded. "Name's Bolthor and the lil' guy here is Nephar." The sound of a blast followed by sand pelting the shuttle's side muffled the end of his sentence. "Zero's going all out out there."

That certainly caught the others' attention, though they didn't comment. "What's the plan?", asked Max concerned. The enemy was near, after all. "If we need to, I can overload the craft's power core. It's still online."

Bolthor regarded the four reploids, then handed his spare rifle to Michael. "You seem to be the best shot here", he explained, and no one complained. "Nephar, can you hide us while we move?"

"This unit is capable of projecting a chameleon field for a limited time, perhaps twenty-five seconds. This unit's team should escape and overload the core."

Morvex and Bolthor both smirked at that. Their odds kept getting better.

**-c-c-**

Zero leaped above the new series of spikes the ground spat, trying to form a plan of attack. His peripheral senses had told him that Bolthor and the rest, as well as the Neo-Arcadians, were moving and he was hesitant to leave them on their own against such numbers. The second 'dodge the spikes' session ended when Anubis reconstructed herself, looking angrier than ever. Even though the red warrior had been the one doing the dodging, she looked just as tired as he felt.

'**She has a time limit'** commented Zero's mental guide. '**She can stay in sand form for sixty seconds every time. Then she needs twice as much to recharge her systems, during which time her powers over sand diminish. She also needs to hold her staff to do her tricks.'**

Zero cocked a mental brow. 'You deduced that much so soon?' he demanded incredulously.

'**You have lots to learn, squire'**, mocked the voice.

Sighing, Zero ran towards Anubis before she could float away and buy time with ranged attacks. The jackal-faced reploid blocked the first slash snarling, then twisted her staff and touched the sand with its top end. Zero tried to leap away, but wasn't fast enough. A wide sand blade had formed at the weapon's end, effectively turning it into a halberd. Said blade proved to be as dangerous as any beam weapon, slicing a long albeit swallow cut on Zero's chest and cheek as it spun.

Thinking fast, he blocked the blade on the second rotation, grabbing the other end with his free hand. 'Let's try a trick of my own', he thought. The blue gem on his helmet flashed yellow just before his green saber did the same. Repositioning the point of contact, he touched the metallic part of Anubis' spear with his sword, channeling thousands of volts through the weapons. Unfortunately, Anubis smirked a very toothy and jackal-like smirk. On reflex, a strand of sand emerged from the ground beneath her at near supersonic speed, touching her leg and redirecting the power surge downwards.

"I happen to be properly grounded", she joked, even as sparks and mini-lightning danced all over her armor ineffectively. Taking advantage of his disbelief, she yanked her spear from Zero's grip and performed a backflip while still floating. Her kick clipped him on the chin, but he managed to roll with the hit. More importantly, it gave her another opening and she capitalized on it, stabbing at him with all the speed her body could produce.

The sand blade touched the crimson hunter just below his armored vest, pausing to overpower his undersuit's resistance before sinking through his synthetic skin. In desperation, Zero reflexively lashed with his saber, severing two of her fingers and forcing her to retreat lest she lost the whole hand.

As she glared at him, willing her repair systems to stem the flow of energy fluid coming from her new wound, he assessed his own damages. His new torso wound would slow him down a bit, but he had chased her away before she could deal really deliberating injuries.

'**I don't think electricity is going to cut it this time'**, admonished the voice, and Zero rolled his eyes at his advisor's firm grasp of the obvious.

**-c-c-**

Forge was the ranking Jin'en officer among the ten soldier after Anubis left and so it was his duty to guide the rest. After spending the minimum compulsory time gawking at the unbelievable display of skill and power his officer and the red Resistance reploid showed, he managed to remember his orders.

"Listen up, everyone! As the commander said, we have no place in this battle." That last comment was delivered with grudging regret. Most of Fefnir's army thrived on physical challenge and the prospect of a good fight caused their synthetic blood to boil. "How many camouflage E-nets do we have?"

A quick inventory later, he nodded. "It should be enough. Tight ranks, Pantheons in the back and engage them." E-nets were, in effect, hologram emitters combined with sensor scramblers. Inferior to invisibility generators and chameleon drives, they were a cheap and efficient way to hide large numbers of troops, provided the terrain was favorable. In the desert, the hologram was one of a large, shifting set of dunes. It wouldn't last under close scrutiny, but in said sandy wasteland, where the winds left nothing immobile, it was effective, as long as no advanced sensors were present.

The small army soon reached the shuttle, making sure to walk a wide semi-circle around the raging battle of the leaders. Many of the Jin'en had winced when an enormous buster shot had knocked Anubis off the air, torn between duty and loyalty. If the golden-armored reploid hadn't escaped via her sand form, they would have rushed to help her then and there, mission be damned.

Still under the hologram, Forge regarded the shuttle entrance wearily. The strong sun made sure he couldn't make out anything but vague shadows beyond the doorframe and the whole scene screamed ambush. "You, you and six Pantheons", he ordered indicated two of the other soldiers. "Get in, attack anything that moves and keep your head down. If they are conscious, they are probably waiting for you with raised metal clubs, or something", he advised, almost smiling at the image.

Any trace of mirth vanished twenty seconds later, though, when a gigantic explosion echoed through the desert. A third of the shuttle was consumed by the fireball, spreading pieces of scrap metal all over the dust bowl. The two soldiers and six Pantheons that had entered the craft died at once, most of their bodies vaporizing immediately. The rest of Anubis' unit was blasted away. Four more of the drones were shredded by shrapnel, since Forge had had the presence of mind to put them on the front just in case.

The Neo-Arcadian acting commander leaped on his feet almost at once, regarding his slightly damaged, red armor, then the rest of his unit. The ten drones rose first, followed by the remaining seven Jin'en, all in various states of hurt, but none really disabled. "Form defensive ranks!" he barked. Their camo had been destroyed in the blast, but if his hunch was correct, it hadn't fooled their enemies anyway. As if to confirm that theory, three energy shot came out of the blue, one devastating a drone, the second injuring and knocking out a reploid and the third grazing his helmet.

"Return fire!"

**-c-c-**

Both Zero and Anubis halted their battle when the explosion reached them, their heads snapping towards its source just in time to see the flying Jin'en reaching the ground. Anubis' face was filled with horror while the scarlet warrior grabbed his chance and took the offensive. Dozens of slashes, cuts and jabs, all aimed at weak spots and blind spots came at her and she found to her growing dread, her blocks were turning more and more haphazard. Her opponent had apparently learned her style and was exploiting every weakness with impunity.

To compensate, the jackal-faced reploid was forced to create a second sand blade on the butt end of her staff. The result was awkward and a bit unwieldy, but forced Zero to fight a bit more cautiously. Anubis smiled grimly. It would be just enough for her to retreat back to the safety of her sand form. Her unique matter converters were almost charged and she would get a minute of respite below her beloved desert.

Unfortunately, fate-and Zero- had other plans. Her converters charged completely just as a very vicious jab slipped through her guard. Hardly registering more than the actuality of the hit, she turned her midsection area that was about to be hit to sand, preparing to change the rest of her body immediately afterwards. A sharp pain and scores of error messages stopped her on her tracks, forcing her to touch the ground and backpedal.

The first thing she noticed was Zero's forehead gem. Instead of blue or yellow it was glowing a fiery orange. Similarly, his sword seemed to be on fire. The main blade was still as focused and sharp as ever, despite being orange. Around it, however, there was a field of dancing flames, superheated air, she concluded in wonder.

Reaching her abdomen, that should have been turned to sand, she encountered a smooth and still scorching hot surface.

"When heated enough, sand turns into glass, after all", offered the crimson hunter, almost apologetic.

Panicking, Anubis turned into sand again, but not before Zero could land another hit, this time on her leg. Two pieces of raw glass were left behind and he knew that if he could last another full minute, he would have to face a severely weakened enemy.

**-c-c-**

Bolthor winced as another bolt of energy washed over his armor. His shields were still holding, but he would need to be more careful to survive the skirmish. He fired another shot with his rifle, disabling an X-droid he had already damaged before, then threw the weapon to the ground. A Jin'en trooper was upon him with thoughts of melee, if his extended energy claws were any indication.

Bolthor dodged to the side, missing the three tiny blades protruding from his opponent's knuckles, then retaliated with an energy-coated fist. A drone would have been sent flying, but the reploid in question was one of Fefnir's elite. He grunted, braced himself and slid backward a couple steps, but otherwise remained standing. His cocky smirk was wiped from his face when the gray-armored and slightly larger reploid caught both his wrists, making sure to keep the claws out of reach, parted them, opening his guard, and kneed him viciously, cracking the lower part of his chest armor.

Close by, Morvex was having problems of his own. Lacking ranged weapons, he had forced tight quarters as soon as he could. A couple shots had hit him, but his black, medieval-style armor had held. After soundly vivisecting a Pantheon hunter, he had engaged two of the enemy reploids, each wielding a teal beam saber. His own orange wristblades were spinning erratically, trying hard to keep both of them at bay, but he was gradually losing ground and he knew it.

At same time, Michael was trying his best to remain hidden and steady his aim. Since the beginning of the battle, he had retreated to a safe distance, covering his two unarmed friends while trying to snipe everything and everyone hostile. The rifle was not really meant for sharp-shooting, but he was doing okay. He had already reduced two pantheon heads into bloodied shrapnel and another Jin'en was on the ground with holes though his leg and abdomen. He had to take cover, however, when said downed soldier and another Pantheon hunter spotted him and retaliated with energy and fire. Without any armor, a single shot would probably disable him or worse.

Siri had been busy as well. The four remaining Pantheons had registered her as an enemy, two coming at her with their clubs while the other two tried to shoot her down. The normally docile cyber-elf narrowed her eyes at them, reminding herself they were nothing more than glorified mechaniloids rather than sentient beings. A shot grazed her tiny body, but she ignored the elven equivalent of pain. Her iridescent aura flared as she vanished inside the head of the first drone, disabling the poorly shielded automaton with ease. Soon afterwards, all that remained were four drone husks and one tired and panting digital pixie. "I will never again be accused of being a burden to Zero", she muttered to herself resolutely.

Forge was not having a good day. Being bested by another reploid was something that happened, but fighting and losing to a single metool was humiliating.

"Collision trajectory calculated", chirped Nephar and were one to pay attention, one would notice he sounded amused. Forge could only groan as once again the metool launched itself at him, knocking him back and right on another Jin'en that was trying to return to his feet. The green mechaniloid followed at once, its cup rising to reveal a crude mouth that resembled a bear trap. Clamping on Forge's leg and ignoring his scream of pain, it extended a cannon from its top and fired a blast at the second reploid, breaking his helmet and knocking him down for a third time. The recoil of the blast forced it backwards, its jaws ripping off leg armor, skin and artificial muscle in the process. Forge screamed again as Nephar, always relentless, spat out the leg pieces and leaped again, this time clamping on the Neo-Arcadian's shoulder. "Animated chew toy detected."

**-c-c-**

Zero's eyes went wide as the ground trembled more than ever before. **'The jackal chick seems to be desperate'**, quipped his inner voice.

The ruby warrior leaped in the air, then gawked again as a sea of sand spikes filled his field of vision. The red warrior gulped as there was no free surface to land. Thinking fast, he twisted upside-down while falling, grabbing two spikes with his hands from bellow their tips and remaining very still. The rest of the spikes around him started shifting in an effort to impale him. Cursing foully, he started dancing on his hands, grabbing the new spikes as they came for him and keeping his body out of harm's reach. Unfortunately, he was grazed many times, his armor holding together but weakening substantially. When he was staked through the leg, very painfully, he decided he had had enough. Still dodging, he charged his saber, bringing it down on a smash that filled the area before him with flames. When they subsided, they left behind a glass plain with half-melted and mostly harmless jags. He hopped on it, looking very carefully were he stepped.

From below, Anubis was trying to form new spikes of sand. The newly-created glassy surface, however was too hard for them to penetrate. To make matters worse, Zero charged his saber again and again, extending his safe area.

Before she could conjure a counter-strategy, her time was up. The burning sensation forced her to return to solid form lest her sand grains lose cohesion and become mixed with plain sand, something that would kill her instantly. Zero was waiting for her and greeted her with a third level buster shot, this one baring the fire element. She had managed to form back completely, but the extreme heat still melted her armor's edges and damaged the subsystems underneath.

Desperately, she formed a large wrecking sand ball on the top of her staff, floated as high as she could, and brought it down on the crimson hunter. Zero dodged her morning star impression, but none of them could dodge the ensuing glass shard blast. Both of them fell to the ground, their bodies sporting entire networks of lacerations.

Zero recovered first, ignoring the fact a large portion of his blood was apparently outside his body and firing another charged shot from a kneeling position. Anubis was slower to rise, blocking the blast with her staff while still prone. She groaned in agony as her fingers welded themselves on the weapon. Her energy almost spent, she commanded a single zombie drone to emerge from the broken glass and engulf Zero in a bear hug. She them created a single, glass shard-filled sand spike to impale him through the head.

Zero gritted his teeth and shook off his captor savagely, delivering a last fiery saber smash, overwhelming the spike and encasing the still-prone Anubis in another sheet of hot glass. She tried to move, to attack again, but she might as well had been trapped in titanium for all the strength she had left.

The scarlet fighter contemplated finishing her off, then shrugged. Turning his back to her semi-conscious form he dashed towards Bolthor and the others, intend to help them with their fight.

"_Zero!"_, came Ciel's urgent voice from his comm. "_First guardian Harpuia has entered the area. Get out of there **fast**!"_

Inside her glass coffin, an immobilized and very damaged Anubis wept silently. She had let down her general and the mental anguish was worse than the physical pain.

**-c-c-**

AND I have been reborn from my ashes like always. The end of winter always wakes the megaman fan inside me. It's been a while and I have been distracted by other stories, but I haven't abandoned this one yet.

A quick skim through the new stories made me feel the megaman fandome is a bit anemic these days. Capcom should really publish a real game instead of silly retro attempts coughmm9cough. Like an X9 or a ZX3. They are both to be based on cliffhangers...

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one. It's been some time and I'm paranoid about writing something that contradicts a previous chapter. The whole glass thing is not really realistic, but it was the only way to excuse Anubis' weird fire weakness. I really enjoyed writing Nephar. I was partly inspired by Glitcher's 'fowl play' flash video.

Until the next time, do read, do enjoy and do review.


	30. Heat Resistance

**Chapter 30: Heat Resistance**

**-c-c-**

"_First guardian Harpuia has entered the area. Get out of there fast!"_

Colbor swore mightily under his breath at Ciel's words. The original plan had been for Bianka to try and take out the T-net stealthily. This new complication had robbed them of the time to do so. He had managed to gather sixty soldiers by calling as many of the close Resistance teams as possible without compromising their position. The problem in his case was competency. He and especially Bianka were a fair match for most Neo-Arcadians, barring the Guardians and their immediate subordinates. The rest of the soldiers were not. Working together, they could probably swarm most enemies due to sheer numbers, but put them one on one against a Pantheon and the result would be dubious. The Jin'en soldiers were a lot stronger than the drones, too.

The unit guarding the T-net generator was thirty strong, fifteen of them reploids, the rest drones. The device itself was under a protective barrier that would neutralize attacks from afar. That meant they would have to defeat everyone before they could deal with it.

The Resistance commander sighed again, wishing, not for the first time he had Zero along. Unfortunately, no matter how strong he was, the red warrior could only be at one place each time.

Just as he was ready to order an attack, two figures appeared out of the blue and assaulted the Jin'en like wolves on cattle. One was emerald-armored and bulky, the other violet-armored and seemingly puny, and both were powerful. Colbor gaped at them, recognizing them as the reploids that had saved Ciel, Milan and himself during the Neo-Silvar fiasco some months back.

**-c-c-**

First guardian Harpuia had to twist to the side to avoid an energy blast that could have knocked him off the air. Sharply scanning his surroundings, he detected a presence, although none of his senses could tell him more. He landed to reduce the attack vectors and challenged his invisible assailant.

"Who is coward enough to attack from the shadows?" he demanded, a purely rhetorical question since the only shadow under the harsh desert sun was his own.

"I usually call it cunning, not cowardice." Harpuia turned rapidly, slashing with one of his ignited purple swords horizontally and releasing a bow of energy flying parallel to the ground. "Nice form, but I'm over here", taunted the voice and the Guardian snarled. Reigning in his temper, the green warrior focused on the voice. It sounded youthful, certainly younger than his own design, and very cocky and challenging.

Another shot came his way and he neatly sidestepped, glaring at the empty space around him. His foe was no mere Resistance grunt, he knew. His concealment was perfect, which made the whole situation if not dangerous at least very annoying. When no further attacks followed, Harpuia frowned.

"You are stalling me, yet you are not trying to damage me", he observed. "Who are you?"

As soon as he finished, his eyes went wide. His only indication was a tiny gust of displaced air, then a sweeping leg tripped him, causing him to fall to the ground. Hardly a novice, he twisted in mid-fall, doing a handstand and kicking backwards. To his satisfaction, his foot encountered resistance and produced a small groan.

"You are as good as they say", commented his unseen foe and there was no malice in his voice, just honest respect. "Let's just say that I'm doing the Resistance a favor. Evening out the odds a bit and all that rust."

Harpuia considered leaving. His enemy did not hide the fact he was just buying time. On the other hand, neither did he want to turn his back to an unknown hostile, nor was fleeing from a fight his style. The added fact the rogue reploid he faced was still nowhere to be seen was unnerving. Harpuia had the sensors to see through most camouflage and holograms and a chameleon drive was disrupted during combat, as did most stealth generators. Only the best of their kind allowed strenuous movement and these never lasted more than a score of seconds. His internal clock informed him the first shot had been fired almost five minutes ago.

As on cue his opponent's invisibility dissipated and he came into view. Navi-black armor, gray undersuit, blue, white and red highlights, orange spiky hair and twin pistols. Harpuia raised a brow. He had expected a large cloak generator, supported by a bulky backpack battery. The young-looking reploid carried nothing of the sort.

"What will you do now that your little toy ran out of power?" inquired the jade general while rushing in for a dual-bladed strike. Instead of loosing his cool, the mysterious reploid dodged easily, firing multiple shots in rapid succession from both guns. Harpuia stopped on his tracks, deflecting them away expertly but not without some difficulty.

Axl smirked at that. "Turning invisible is just one of my many talents", he declared with mock cockiness. The response came in the form of rampant purple bows of energy. At first, he dodged easily, but the green general abruptly altered his pattern. The black hunter yelped as one of the flying blades grazed him, then frowned as he realized he couldn't move in time to avoid the next. Instead, he turned his right hand and pistol into a red saber emitter and parried it away.

His opponent smirked. "You can use a sword", he marveled. "Perhaps this is not a waste of my time after all."

Axl mirrored his expression, changing his second gun into a normal beam saber, also red. "It's been some time since I last dueled with swords, but I learned from the best." Two centuries back, Zero had decided to force him into a 24-hour long spar inside a locked and sealed room_. "Only X might get away with no melee capabilities and he still carries my second saber everywhere he goes"_, he had told him later, not that he had been able to parse it just then. He had stayed unconscious for a whole week after that training session.

The two reploids met in the middle, slashing, parrying and blocking furiously. Axl soon realized his opponent was no pushover. He would never have defeated Zero at his prime, but he was a bit better than the orange-haired hunter. He was forced to break away and retreat as the green general's swords did the impression of a dual-bladed blender, spinning and jabbing in a maneuver that would have removed his midsection components.

Harpuia sped forward, floating just a bit off the ground and smelling victory. Axl however ignited his own foot boosters, floating backwards while blocking the charge. Deciding that guile might win where skill could not, he shifted his right sword into his favorite weapon, a red beam sickle. His foe did not expect that and he gasped as the curved edge of Axl's new weapon blocked his slash and stabbed him on the wrist at the same time.

He retreated just as Axl's ion deposit ran out, returning him to the ground. Harpuia's glare turned into shock so fast it would have otherwise been comical, if not for the fact the black hunter's left hand and arm had turned into a miniball rail-cannon. Dodging magnetically accelerated metal marbles proved to be just as hard as dodging buster shots and he quickly found out he had to use a lot more of his strength to deflect them.

The Jade Guardian retreated to the air, then materialized ten electric drones that tried to blindside his enemy. Axl smirked, changing back to his original form and taking a deep breath. Harpuia felt his foe's energy rising dangerously and he only had a second to protect himself. Axl rose in the air and remained there suspended. He started twirling his pistols very fast, but instead of tiny bullets, charged globes of energy erupted from the barrels. Despite the seeming randomness of the attack, all drones were reduced to burning scrap and even Harpuia couldn't dodge everything.

However, Axl soon realized his reasoning's flaw. The giga crush technique had been very intense and he found himself vulnerable. The Rekku commander capitalized on that fact, flying high and bombarding him with a rain of sharp-edged projectiles.

Axl still dodged most of them, but if not for his armor he would have lost more than a few drops of blood. His eyes narrowed and under the incredulous gaze of his opponent, he sprouted thrusters from his back and a visor from his helmet and ascended to the other's level, scythe in on hand, pistol in the other. The pair of mini-missile launchers that appeared at his ankles were just the icing of the cake.

"What are you?" demanded the Guardian disbelievingly. Wrapping weapons during combat was not unheard of. Fefnir did it with his own, otherwise unwieldy, flamethrowers all the times. Doing so with body parts was even rarer, but what really clued him in was the fact Axl's bone structure seemed to have changed when he took to the air. Harpuia had never heard of the Copy chip technology.

Axl sighed. He hadn't wanted to reveal so much of his abilities, yet anything but his best against Harpuia could prove painful or even fatal. He was older and stronger than the guardian, but his enemy was skilled enough to prove devastating with even a single successful attack. Much like X and Zero themselves, he decided. Fortunately for both of them, Axl's communicator beeped and he let another sigh, this one relieved. Saluting smartly, he teleported away, leaving Harpuia angry yet intrigued.

**-c-c-**

Close to the remains of the exploded shuttle, Michael finished off the last Pantheon just in time to see Zero approaching. He gulped at the sight. The thought of meeting the same reploid that had almost single-handedly destroyed most of his unit and had almost killed him mere weeks ago was unnerving enough, but Zero was also a sight out of nightmares. Practically covered in blood, half of it his own, and full of wounds glass and sand, he looked rather intimidating, especially since he gave no indication his injuries were anything more than an annoyance.

The eight Jin'en stopped fighting and turned as one, first at Zero, who induced more cringes, then to where Anubis had been. The glass hill left behind wrecked havoc with their morale. One of them decided to attack anyway, leading the way with his teal saber and trying an advanced jab. To the incredulous eyes of the rest, his sword went through a mirror image of the crimson hunter. Zero appeared behind him and replaced his Z-saber in its sheath. The unlucky Jin'en blinked, then fell to the ground before his systems could register his death. He had been split in ten different pieces in milliseconds.

"Any other takers?" growled Zero menacingly. "Leave now and you'll be spared."

The Jin'en froze at that. On the one hand, they were brave soldiers, all veterans of many fights and hand-picked by Fefnir himself. On the other hand, this same reploid before them had just destroyed Anubis in her own sandbox and was still able to move at speeds beyond their comprehension.

"Your commander is still alive, but not for long", he added a bit milder. This sealed the deal, giving them an honorable out.

"You will regret this", declared Forge, trying to keep his shoulder from spilling to the sand while supporting his torn leg with a discarded rifle. Nephar joined Zero and glared at him, audibly snapping its jaws and causing him to pale. The seven Jin'en, two of them too injured to walk alone, fled as fast as their dignity would allow.

"Zero, what the hell happened to you?" asked Bolthor incredulously, gazing at the hundreds of little injuries all over his body.

The red warrior shrugged. "Sand melts into glass", he stated, just as Siri joined them, circling him frantically.

"Zero! We have to get you some help! Why must you always return like that? Ciel is going to have kittens when she sees you."

The scarlet reploid sighed. "The mission is not over", he reminded them, turning to face Morvex and the other fugitives. "We are waiting for the T-net to come down, but we should keep moving until then."

**-c-c-**

Tone and Pulse were eager for a chance to cut loose. If not for the constant threat of rogue mechaniloids, they would have left Dr. Light and would have joined the Resistance years ago. They knew intellectually that the simple soldiers were just following orders, but they couldn't help but feel that every hit they dealt was a hit that hurt Copy X, the mockery that was perverting their beloved commander's notion of utopia into a nightmare while using his face.

Said digitized scientist would have otherwise disapproved, even if he agreed with the notion, but since Zero was in danger of facing two Guardians on top of his battle with Anubis, he had relented. While Axl stalled Harpuia, the two brothers were to clear the T-net. If anyone tried to stop them, too bad for them.

Tone dashed ahead, giant sickle leading the way, while his brother offered suppression fire, shooting with all six busters relentlessly. The first Pantheon ranks were decimated almost instantly, but the sentient Jin'en recovered fast, forming defensive formations and trying to barricade themselves behind a few mobile fortifications they had brought along.

What they didn't expect was a second hail of energy shots coming from their flank. Colbor had decided to take advantage of the brothers' assault and had ordered his troops to open fire. In the meantime, Bianka had stealthily slipped behind their ranks and had started disposing them silently.

Tone went to eviscerate another X-drone, but stopped short when a cyber-elf passed through the mechaniloid's head and disabled it. He then blinked questioningly when the same elf set her victim on fire for no apparent reason. As Isis flew away, Tone sensed a presence behind him and turned at once, scythe leading the way. His blue blade stopped a hair's width from Bianka's neck, while her own red dagger blade was half-way to his own neck. They both regarded the other intently, then relaxed, only to duck a second later to avoid a salvo of Neo-Arcadian projectiles.

"You are with the Resistance, right?" he inquired, extending his shield from the butt of his weapon to block a second wave of shots.

Bianka nodded. "And you are one of the reploids our commander told us to trust", she replied, hiding behind his shield, lifting her arm guard and retaliating with a stream of energy stars.

"Well met" "Fight well" mumbled both at the same time, just before they rolled away towards different directions to avoid an incoming missile.

At the same time Colbor had just had a similar interaction with Pulse. "I never did thank you for that time in Neo-Silvar", he commented as his beam axe severed the buster from a Pantheon hunter. The automaton tried to punch him with his other arm, but he stepped to the side in time.

"It's what we do", replied the green-armored reploid, blasting two separate Jin'en with five busters. His one empty hand shot to the side, backhanding a Pantheon guardian that had slipped in close and had grazed him with his club. "You were lucky we were there and there was no love lost between Hyeron and us." The heavily armored reploid raised a brow as he dodged a buster shot. "You seem to have improved from the last time I saw you."

Colbor, that had just beheaded the drone and was deflecting the shots of another, stopped to consider that. Ever since Milan had died, he had changed, almost rising to take his place. The late Resistance commander had been his hero and a strong fighter, yet he had still died. Since then, the younger Resistance soldier had stepped up his training and sharpened his strategic skills, gaining in both rank and respect.

Colbor shrugged. "Things change. I'm no Zero, but I can still do my best."

Pulse smirked as he blasted another haphazard fortification. "Commander Zero is a goal unattainable enough to keep you busy for decades. I should know", he mused, drawing an incredulous gaze from Colbor. Regarding the battlefield, he frowned. "By they way, do you know why everything seems to be on fire?" he asked perplexed.

The other let a long-suffering sigh. "It's our secret weapon apparently", he deadpanned, glaring at a certain white cyber-elf that kept flying around while torching everything flammable.

**-c-c-**

Many consider Fighting Fefnir, the Second guardian of Neo-Arcadia to be a knucklehead, only retaining his position through sheer power. While said red armored reploid could occasionally be immature, naïve or reckless, he was hardly an idiot. When deciding to actually use his mind, he could be formidable.

So, when the orders from the Neo-Arcadian command started becoming a bit more inaccurate than usual, he was instantly put on his guard. "Are you sure you're reading the data correctly, Aug?" he asked his acting second in command.

The data-versed reploid regarded him with a mixture of caution and indignation. While he was a bit afraid of his new commanding officer, the mere notion he had been reading the data wrong was, in his eyes, an insult of immense proportions. Collecting his wits, he swallowed his pride and rechecked his datapad. "According to the main control, we are no more than two meters away from our designated route. That's well within the current marching accuracy criteria." During army movements, especially while in an empty, non-urban area, there was quite a bit of leeway allowed when it came to positions.

Fefnir frowned. "This doesn't explain why we're passing next to that ruined tank for a second time", he riposted, pointing at what seemed to be a very old heavy war vehicle, probably a remnant of the Elf Wars or even older.

Every eye turned to regard the husk, including Aug. "Are you certain it's the same one, sir? I have already seen ten of these things."

Fefnir smirked. "I memorized its serial number plate last time we passed it", his grin widened at Aug's blank stare. "I was built with eidetic memory. I'm able to recall every detail as far as ten years back."

Aug slowly nodded, deciding that, like many others, he had underestimated the Guardian. Compared to Harpuia and Phantom, the other two Guardians were often looked down upon, Fefnir for his methods and Leviathan, stupidly enough, for her gender. The newly-transferred Rekku soldier made a mental note not to do that mistake again.

"Should I check with the main control, sir? Someone might be at fault there", he proposed, his words not masking the disdain he would feel for anyone leading them in circles.

Fefnir contemplated that carefully. "No, let's not tip our hand yet. If some idiot screwed up, chances are they will soon realize and correct their directions. If, however, someone's playing us, we'd do well to let them think we're duped. Can you hack your datapad to display the position they want us to be, while we take a shortcut?"

Aug blinked again, then smiled for the first time. "Consider it done, sir."

The red guardian laughed. "We'll still make a Jin'en out of you."

"Where should he head for?" asked another soldier that had been following the exchange.

Fefnir recalled the area's map, sparse as it was, checked the time and sun's position, then sniffed the dry desert wind. "We'll try to rendezvous with Anubis and see if she's having problems, too", he explained picking a direction.

"That's the opposite way from where we are supposed to be", noted Aug, far less stiffly that before.

The Guardian's grin became feral. "Exactly."

**-c-c-**

"So, you are Zero. The same Zero from the Maverick war legends", commented Morvex, almost casually. The other three fugitives perked at that, their faces very comical.

Zero shrugged. "That's what they tell me, anyway. Most of my memory is fragmented and I sometimes get flashes, but other than that, your guess is as good as mine."

The black-armored reploid regarded him calculatingly. Zero hadn't flinch when first seeing his helmet, which was the usual and intended reaction of its design. At a cursory glance, the red hunter did not seem that fierce, if you were to disregard all the blood. His armor was high-quality, of course, of the same quality X and his Guardians seemed to use, and he was pretty tall for human standards, a tiny bit shorter than Morvex himself who usually towered over most reploids. Other than that the red fighter was very unassuming.

Morvex was not fooled. During his own battle, he had caught glimpses of Zero's fight with Anubis and, like everyone else present, he had seen him moving when the unlucky Jin'en attacked. Or rather he hadn't and that was the point. Zero or not, the reploid beside him was powerful.

"I, for one, believe it", he offered somewhat guardedly. "No wonder Neo-Arcadia was like a disturbed hornet's nest when I left."

Bolthor decided to join in. "You have intelligence from Neo-Arcadia?" he asked, sounding very interested.

Another interesting reploid, decided Morvex. After fighting next to Bolthor, he had gained an idea about his combat style and prowess. Nowhere near Zero's level, but equal to his own, quite formidable abilities. He decided Bolthor was someone he could respect. "When I decided to escape, I went all the way. I carry some pretty classified data and I don't think they even realized. I just hope I can be trusted enough among the Resistance to put them to use."

Bolthor didn't notice the other three fugitives looking nervous at that, but Zero and Siri did. The multicolored cyber-elf looked at him expectantly, prompting him to talk. "Very few will blame you for fighting against them before", he said, addressing Michael, Max and Bernard. "Many members of the Resistance used to be in the Neo-Arcadian army before being accused of being Mavericks. You were deceived, or you were just doing your job, or both."

Max and Bernard seemed subdued at that. "I can't believe we won't be seen as enemies by the other people in that team you two led last time", responded Michael.

Bolthor, who had been following the conversation, clapped the sniper on the back, almost hard enough to knock him off his feet. "No worries friend. When you join the Resistance, Neo-Arcadia puts a death sentence on you anyway. We're all in it together and if anyone's to say different, come find me. I'll knock some sense in them."

While Morvex was busy rolling his eyes behind his mask, Siri returned from a short scouting trip. "Nothing to the west, but that doesn't mean they are not hiding. I wish Ciel and Colbor would hurry with this T-net. Every second counts."

Zero sighed. "You worry too much, Siri", he admonished.

The iridescent cyber-elf landed on his shoulder dejected, her aura dying down a bit. Without the light, Zero could glimpse at her long brown hair at the edge of his vision. "I can't help it, Zero. You have been doing dangerous things for as long as I've known you. No matter how much I want to believe it, no one is immortal."

The red hunter chuckled. "You sound like you've known me for ages", he joked.

"Yeah, imagine that", she replied darkly, flying away and leaving Zero puzzled.

"Warning, warning! Hostiles detected!" Nephar's barely collected words were the only indication anyone got before a giant fireball entered their field of vision. Zero somehow tackled both Morvex and Bolthor to the ground before anyone else could process the situation. Nephar tackled Max and Michael almost as fast, while the sniper himself was attempting to drag Bernard out of the projectile's way. He was only partly successful. The Neo-Arcadian soldier screamed in pain as his right arm was vaporized all the way to the shoulder.

A second fireball came their way, but this time Zero was ready. Dashing before the fugitives, he activated his fire chip, helmet jewel glowing orange, and deflected the attack with a fiery saber, doing an exaggerated golfing impression.

"Not bad, not bad at all", commented Fefnir, speaking in a casual tone. "Didn't expect you guys to come so far. Hacked TacNets, hidden units, misdirection. You sure know your staff. How did you miss Anubis?" he inquired, preparing another attack.

"We didn't", deadpanned Zero, hoping to buy even a couple seconds. His energy was low, not dangerously so, but nowhere near enough the level he would need for the battle that was coming. A part of him, a feral, insane part, prompted him to attack anyway to catch the guardian by surprise and gain the advantage. He could tell just by looking that Fefnir was a strong opponent and he itched to test his own power. Still, Zero hadn't survived so many battles without some caution.

**'There is no way you can fight him and win, kid. Not like this, not with your reserves at 25 percent. Stall and believe in Ciel and Colbor.'**

Fefnir raised a brow. "So you lost her. That's hard to believe", he commented half-jokingly.

Zero's next words wiped any trace of mirth from his face. "Hardly. I fought her and won."

Disbelief turned to understanding. "You are Zero! I knew you were good, but Anubis was powerful." Understanding turned to anger. "And a good friend, too. I will avenge her death."

The crimson hunter inwardly smirked. The voice in his mind shared the mood. **'When you can't fight them with actions, get them with words. Confuse, confound and divide. Not honorable, but you get a chance to win.'**

"Who said she is dead?" he asked casually. Fefnir expected him to say more, but Zero remained silent.

"Explain!" he demanded after a while.

"Anubis is just trapped. Very injured, of course, but not scrapped yet." In reality, Zero had no earthly clue whether that was true. He had left the jackal-faced alive due to circumstance, but he had no idea if she would survive her injuries.

Fefnir considered his options. His first thought was that the other reploid was bluffing. On the other hand Anubis did have a knack for escaping death. The 'third' part of her name was an inside joke of sorts, to remind everyone she had already almost died twice and had returned. It matched her 'queen of death' spiel.

"Where is she?" he snapped. Better try and keep him off balance for now, he thought.

Zero assumed his most nonchalant face, pretending to consider that. "She's in the desert." When he saw Fefnir was out of patience and about to attack anyway, he went on. "She is trapped under a glass sheet close to the fallen shuttle."

Fefnir nodded slowly, somewhat surprised and off guard Zero had given him so much information. Part of him wanted to rush there and help Anubis, Zero be damned. He did want to fight him, but he could tell his opponent wouldn't be anywhere near his peak. On the other hand, he had his orders and Copy X would have been very angry with him if he learned he had let Zero and the fugitives go.

His moment of hesitation was all the Resistance needed. At that exact time, Tone overloaded the T-net generator shield and Colbor immediately chopped the device with his axe. Zero heard his escape unit beep and knew the time had come. He swung his saber and released the charged smash he had been preparing right in the Jin'ens' face.

"Escape units!" he shouted above Fefnir's enraged bellow. He grabbed Morvex, ignoring his armor's spikes and edges that cut through his gauntlet, Siri sat on his shoulder again, Nephar bumped into Michael and Bolthor snatched Max and an unconscious Bernard off the ground. The next second they were gone, just as the hacked Jin'en TacNet died down

"Shit!" Exclaimed the Second guardian, reflecting the sentiment of every Jin'en left in the general area. The Resistance had retreated and they were alone and lost in the desert.

**-c-c-**

As soon as the T-net dropped, Ciel jammed the enemies TacNet and leaped off her seat, dashing towards the Transerver room as fast as her legs could take her. Cerveau and Dante, that happened to be in the same room, smirked knowingly at each other.

As soon as Zero teleported in, she had to stifle a cry. The red hunter was literally red, the artificial blood on him quite dry but still telling of his battle. "You, medical, NOW!" she ordered, desperately keeping a lid on her panic to save face in front of the many soldiers that kept teleporting in.

"It's not as bad as it seems", he tried wanting to placate her. Instead she glared fiercely at him and he had to bite himself not to laugh at her face. Instead of a verbal response, she grabbed his hand and bodily dragged him away, blushing a bit when she realized what she was doing, yet hardly relenting.

Bolthor, Bianka and the two elves watched the scene mirthfully. "Ciel is a very assertive girl", commented Isis, nodding to herself importantly.

While the reploid couple laughed in accord, Siri smiled sadly. "She is good for him."

Ciel almost shoved the red hunter in Cerveau's lab, before remembering he was a patient. Said engineer was already waiting for them with a half-amused, half-resigned visage. In reality, getting to repair Zero was the chance of a lifetime. Though he hated himself for it, a part of him had wanted to see the hunter coming back injured. He could learn more after a single repair session than after a month of research.

"Strip!" commanded Ciel, causing both males to raise a brow way too high. She reddened furiously as her words registered in her mind and her doctor persona shattered. "I-I mean r-remove your armor t-to treat your i-injuries", she stammered.

Zero actually smiled, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "As you order, Dr. Ciel", he replied entirely too cheerfully.

Cerveau couldn't help but burst into laughter, while Ciel wondered whether she could somehow will the ground to swallow her before she would prove people were actually able to die of embarrassment.

**-c-c-**

Fefnir reached Anubis' glass tomb just as her remaining soldiers pulled her out. They had had to carefully cut the glass to avoid hurting her any more.

"Is she still alive?" he demanded, although his voice was kept low, as if afraid to wake her.

"General Fefnir", she gasped, her voice very weak. She was in considerable pain and the sand that had crept in her injuries was ironically hurting her more. She actually looked worst than Zero, something that the Guardian expected but wasn't ready for. This was a true application of the phrase 'you should have seen the other guy' or-in that case- gal. "I'm so sorry… I …failed you", she tried.

Uncharacteristically for him, Fefnir clasped her limp hand. "Rest Anubis", he requested, nodding at the impromptu Medic that injected her with a nanobot-based healing agent and sedative. "Now!" he added louder, confident he would not bother her. "Will someone explain what the hell happened to you?"

After a short but detailed explanation, Fefnir was frowning. "This won't do" he muttered, still loud enough to be heard. "You faced fifty Resistance soldiers while Anubis fought Zero and you were winning. When she lost and the T-net dropped, they escaped with many losses. We scattered their pieces all over the desert." The words came out as an order.

"B…but sir…" tried one of the bolder Jin'en elites.

Fefnir scowled at that. "No, you listen to me, soldier. Make no mistake, I WILL kick your asses to oblivion next time we train. But I don't want to lose any more of my people because of paranoia. These fugitives were declared mavericks because they surrendered. I don't blame you for doing that. If Zero could beat Anubis and then had enough power left to kill one of you like that, you'd have all died anyway."

His Jin'en saluted at that and he sighed in both relief and frustration. He was basically committing treason for the sake of his subordinates, but he refused to deal with the alternative. His train of thought was halted when his sensors pinpointed a very agitated Harpuia approaching at full speed. Fefnir sighed again. Things were quickly coming to a head.

**-c-c-**

Ciel and Cerveau watched helplessly as a very edgy and agitated Zero stalked out of the lab, looking as if there was an enemy in every shadow and corner. They had healed the serious wounds, but most of the glass cuts had to be left to his outstanding repairing systems. Things had gone wrong after Ciel had decided to administer a standard sedative and painkiller to help him rest.

The pink-clad scientist collapsed on a chair, mentally exhausted. "That went well", commented Cerveau harshly, although his tone was not aimed at the human girl.

Said girl sighed. "It's hardly funny Cerveau. I didn't even think there would be a problem. These sedatives are supposed to work on everyone, human or reploid. I've never seen something like that."

As soon as the medicine had hit his bloodstream, Zero's eyes had grown wide. Instead of calming him done, the sedative had caused the opposite effect, putting him in a state of urgency, focus and agitation higher than he had ever reached on his own for as long as she knew him.

Cerveau removed his visor, rubbing his eyes to help the energy fluid flow. "Non-standard medical reaction", he decided. "I don't know when or by whom he was built, but this kind of defense makes sense in a twisted way. Every time something tries to dull his thinking process internally, his whole body goes into high alert. Before he was gone, my tests showed his body was breaking done the sedative five thousand times faster than normal."

Ciel shook her head. "Why would anyone take such a risk."

The engineer sighed. "That's because Zero was created to be a fighting machine. The best fighting machine possible. His creator probably thought that destruction would be more acceptable than capture."

The human tried to push back the despair that conclusion induced. "This is very dangerous, Cerveau. If Zero has non-standard medical reactions we must figure them out as fast as possible. What if he was severely injured when I injected that. The shock might have been fatal. People die because of such ignorance."

Cerveau appeared thoughtful. "Unless we can actually find pre-Elf Wars data from the hunter's era, we will have to recreate his medical profile from scratch."

"I could try and find the location of…" she tried, but the engineer stopped her.

"As harsh as this sounds, it's not as urgent as our other problems. Task a team of operators to look for any surviving archives, perhaps from a Resistance Branch. You have more than enough in your plate and you know it."

"But I need to help him", she tried weakly, grasping at straws.

Cerveau frowned at her. "Being the Resistance leader includes such perks as occasionally ordering other people to do things for you. Don't try to lift the world by yourself, Ciel. You are not Atlas and you certainly don't resemble him", he chided and she nodded resigned.

**-c-c-**

#Initiating data log:

#Event: Damage report minimal. Current environment graded as high-threat.

#Warning: Sedative agent detected. Energy output modified at 400 percent. Dark energy link opened. Repair systems restricted at 5 percent. Counteragent employed. Estimated time before purge: 250000 milliseconds.

#CUI chip report: Enemy reploid unit blueprints analyzed. Upgrades embodied into DNA core as seen optimal. Effects:

Reaction time upgraded.

Piercing resistant armor coating upgraded.

Energy barrier coating upgraded.

Defensive protocols upgraded: tolerance against electric attacks enhanced.

Networking control protocols upgraded.

Unique hardware configuration from entity 'Anubis MK3' isolated and currently being evaluated for integration. Estimated effects include silicon based grain manipulation and metamorphosis.

#Event: Energy absorbing function upped. Efficiency at 14 percent.

#Event: maximum energy core capacity upgraded.

#Overview:

Relative potential body power level: infinite.

Relative possible body power level: 160K

Synchronization percentage: 15

Relative power level: 24K

#End log

**-c-c-**

Copy X punched the wall hard enough to dent it, despite the fact he was not wearing his gauntlets. Not satisfied, he turned to glare at the chamber's other occupant. "Fefnir failed me", he spat.

Phantom wanted more than anything else to say something properly acidic, but the devious obedience programs the copy had installed prevented him from that. "The Second Guardian didn't really fight. The only reason the Resistance won was because of Dr. Ciel's interference. Without the TacNet he was helpless."

"Ciel" breathed the copy with a tone of uncertainty. Normally, Copy X's corrupted personality was very certain about his goals, but his creator's dedication to what she thought was the right cause unnerved him. Why would she not see his truth, the only real truth. "How did she compromise security so easily?"

Phantom sighed. "According to Leviathan's report, it's because our TacNets, along with almost everything else, use the C-L operating system."

Copy X's eyes went wide and wild. "How could she have allowed this? Why weren't the systems upgraded? Or replaced?" he demanded.

Phantom shook his head. "Dr. Ciel is hardly an idiot. When she left Neo-Arcadia, she stole, among other things, all unencrypted copies of her operating system, as well as our entire archive of earlier software. The Fourth Guardian has dedicated a large portion of her research personnel to solving that problem. However she estimated it will take many years, provided it's even possible. The doctor's programs are phenomenal."

Copy X paced as he raved. "So it's either Ciel's own sandbox or nothing at all." Stopping abruptly, he gazed into Phantom's masked eyes. "Use plan Ourovoros. Keep your sleeper on the first level only. We need an edge against the Resistance."

**-c-c-**

This chapter has two milestones, being the thirtieth and reaching 200K words. I would have updated sooner, but ffnet has been glitching for days. Hopefully, things will stabilize soon. I would hate to lose reviews because of site bugs.

I hope you liked Axl's return. I'm going to have him face Phantom sometime soon, since the other three guardians have already met him in a fashion. The next chapter will have the usual cooldown. Perhaps it's time to introduce Andrew, provided I can piece his very long story together. Also, there will be more Allouete appearances. Hopefully, I'll get her a decent personality soon. Elpizo and Elisa are also due for an appearance, as well as another canon couple that would have met around this timeframe.


	31. Those that wore pink

**Chapter 31: Those that wore pink**

**-c-c-**

The blond reploid slashed high, then low in rapid succession, finishing a kata he had found in an old archive. The luminous ball of sentient data hanging above him cheered at that and he smiled a bit maniacally. Before he could resume his exercise, the sound of clapping interrupted him. He turned around very fast, his eyes landing on the equally blond girl that was sincerely applauding.

"Elisa! What are you doing out of bed?" asked Elpizo incredulously, while putting away his pink rapier. The black cyber-elf above him giggled, then babbled something indecipherable. They had yet to figure out whether it was speaking in a different language or whether it was just too immature to form words.

The commander of Resistance's fourth branch smiled at that, even though there was a trace of pain in her gesture. The fact she was heavily leaning against the wall hardly helped her case. "I managed to browbeat Rocinolle into letting me out from that sterilized hell on earth she calls medical wing." At Elpizo's raised brow, she went on. "Well, as long as I don't exert myself. Or think too hard. Or stay on my feet for too long. Or breathe too hard. You know how she is."

The pink-clad reploid sighed. "Be as it may, we'd better found you a place to sit. If you were to collapse in my presence, Rocinolle would remodel me into a hairdryer." Sadly enough, they both knew he was only half-joking.

He offered her his arm in a very formal and elaborate way, but she refused. "I appreciate the offer, but we'll be heading to the mess hall", she explained, kissing him on the cheek instead. She did flush a bit, but his own awkwardness was legendary. "It would be good for morale if I'm seen to walk under my own power again."

The former Neo-Arcadian nodded reluctantly, deciding to at least stick close in case her recovering body betrayed her. He had spent quite some time next to her bed and he had grown pretty fond of her in a relatively short time.

"By the way, I read your report on that mission you led two days ago. I was afraid the soldiers below you would not like the fact you came out of nowhere with a higher rank than their own, but it seems your charisma overweighed any envy", she added, quite a bit flirtingly. During her boring downtime, she had thought a lot and had decided she needed to get over Zak. Not only for her own peace of mind, but also for the sake of her subordinates. Elpizo had a couple flaws, including a measure of vanity, but he was proving himself every day. Perhaps it was not fair for him to act as a substitute for Zak, but his presence was needed.

Elpizo couldn't suppress a smile at that. During his work with Ciel, some years back, he had been praised a lot, even though other people ridiculed him out of jealousy. After she had finished her secret project, his fortune had steadily declined, hitting rock bottom with Phantom's rejection. In the following years, while Ciel was struggling to form the Resistance, he had been wasting away close to the baby elf, ignored and unimportant, up until Axl's stunt and Leviathan's overreaction. Now, for the first time in years, his talents were being praised once more.

Yes, he decided. The Resistance was his home and he would do his best. He gave Elisa a fierce smile of resolve, a smile she perceived as one of affection instead. The baby elf above them chirped innocently.

**-c-c-**

Dante stepped off the transerver pad, glad to be home. He had visited the Resistance Core after his fifty-fifth arboreal Branch had sent the information about the shuttle, and he had even led a minor detachment of men in the desert. Despite the fact he was the commander of perhaps the smallest Resistance Branch, he was popular enough for many Core soldiers to trust him.

"Hey, Nelly! You didn't burn down the place while I was gone, did you?" he joked.

The veteran operator frowned, scowling openly when Joan next to her fought to stifle a laugh. "You might be the commander around here, but this doesn't change the fact you are as immature as they come. How you gained your rank is beyond me."

"It's all about my indomitable charm", gloated Dante, prompting Joan to burst into laughter, while even Nelly smiled as she rolled her eyes. "So, any news?" he added a bit more serious.

Joan nodded. "X was furious the fugitives survived. That's what we heard anyway. Were there really as many casualties as they said? The reports talked about hundreds of dead."

Dante actually smirked. "I think someone's trying to cover his ass. We had five casualties, plus a score of serious, non-lethal injuries. Since we gained four, there was really a net loss of one and at least one of the fugitives seemed like a serious warrior."

Nelly glared at him. "That's a pretty callous way to look at it", she commented.

The commander sighed. "Perhaps, but if not for the silver linings, this war would drive us all…"

Nelly's console interrupted him as it beeped. Seconds later, she allowed a short distance trans from below the tree. The newcomer didn't waste time with pleasantries, shoving a data stick in Nelly's hands while obviously trying to form coherent phrases.

"Calm down Solis", ordered Dante. "Simple sentences, small words."

"A message for the Resistance. Guardian Phantom made an announcement on the Arcadian network. I thought it was important."

Nelly was already playing the message and they all watched it, frowning at the end. Dante sighed. "It's really pretty pointless. We will send it to the Core and let Ciel deal with it."

Nelly nodded, checking whether the forest activity around them was high enough to conceal the transmission, then relaying the message. Activity had increased a lot during the last month. While she liked the extra challenge when compared to boring data shuffling, she couldn't help but feel worried.

**-c-c-**

_Phantom glared through his mask. "The terrorist rebellion calling themselves the Resistance has struck again and has once again suffered losses. This is a message to all of those Mavericks who think they can challenge our fortress of peace, who think they can scare us with their puny delusions. Surrender and let yourselves be corrected. The day of your reckoning is close and we will not hold back anymore. Neo-Arcadia stands united!_

Ciel sighed as the video ended. "Nothing more than the usual propaganda. Like they have been going easy on us until now." They had watched the video in the operations room, where many reploids had gathered to hear the alleged message.

Cerveau frowned. "It was rather anticlimactic. Perhaps too much so. What motive could Phantom have? He must know something like this won't intimidate us, especially since he referred to our false casualty numbers."

None of them noticed Morvex eavesdropping on them, a look of fury on his face. The black-armored reploid's eyes were wide behind his helmet, snapping all around as if looking for a hidden assassin.

**-c-c-**

Zero sighed as he gazed at the night sky. After the sedative in his body had been neutralized, he hadn't calmed down for ten whole minutes. Afterwards, he had felt so exhausted, he had actually fallen asleep outside, resting on a slab of cement. Hardly comfortable, but with his armor on, he felt no real discomfort either. Ciel had cleaned it before the sedative incident and during his nap his repair systems had kicked in in earnest, erasing all damage.

"You are improving, but you are still too loud to sneak on me", he stated in the thin air.

Alouette sighed, foregoing any more attempts at stealth and coming closer. "Uncle Cerveau told me what happened and I knew you would be up here."

The red warrior raised a brow. "And you came to see me? I could have attacked you if I was still in that state," he added, only half-seriously.

The girl smiled, lying down next to him. "Sorry, Zero. I trust you too much to fear something like that."

Zero froze at the words, his mind going blank.

-

_"What? Don't you like me at all? Not even a little? The looks you have been throwing at me say otherwise."_

_Zero sighed, rubbing his temples while turning away. "What's wrong with you today? You usually are all shy and stuff."_

_She giggled, hugging him from behind, and he felt the softness of her brown hair. She was out of her flimsy navigator armor today, wearing an absurd sundress of all things, although she always kept her red beret on. Her brother demanded at least that. "I just had a glass of my brother's brandy. Not enough to make me dizzy, but even reploids need liquid courage occasionally."_

"_You have been hanging around us hunters way too much," he sighed, secretly reveling at her touch. "Your brother would cry vengeance if he knew how much we are corrupting you here."_

_She sniffed disdainfully at that. "I can be naughty all by myself, you know." Her voice turned serious. "I have been watching you. A new girlfriend every week. Yet I don't mind. You never look at them like you look at me. Are you that afraid of me?" she finished teasingly. _

_He seemed offended at that. "I'm afraid of nothing", he declared boldly, just before deflating. "It's just that you are my navigator. As a couple we would be frowned upon," he explained with a straight face._

"_Bull-poop!" she sang in response._

"_How much did you drink?" he exclaimed incredulously._

_She ignored that. "I have seen you with other navigators before and I have heard the rumors. You might be a good little hunter on duty, but you are quite the player any other time." Her eyes went wide as another idea came to her mind. "You don't worry about MY virtue, do you? Because I'm ready to totally destroy my good girl image if that's why."_

_The red hunter groaned and she giggled again, never letting him go. Resigned, he turned around and looked into her expressive blue eyes. "I'm a very infamous hunter. Along with X, we two are the only ones that have faced Sigma and lived to tell the tale. If I get too attached to any girl, she will be used against me. No one deserves that, most of all you. And what if Sigma does manage to get me. I'm a prime infection target and my supposed immunity to his virus is theoretical. I could hurt you or even infect you in that case."_

_She considered that, seriously contemplated it, he could see. When she finished, she clasped his large, gauntleted hand between her own, "I don't care", she declared quietly. "You and my brother are my two most important people. The rest of the world can burn, but I can't stand the thought of not having you both in my life. I'm selfish like that." She smiled at him as he gazed at her almost hypnotized. _

"_Sorry, Zero. I trust you too much to fear something like that."_

-

"Zero! Zero, are you alright?"

Alouette's cries that were slowly assuming a scared tone, finally managed to rouse him. "What happened?" he inquired groggily.

"You zoned out, and you wouldn't respond, and I thought you were hurt, and I called your name, and I was about ready to call mommy, and she would have been terrified , and…"

Zero sighed, silencing her incessant babbling with a hand motion to indicate he was fine. "Just another memory surfacing. It's maddening sometimes. I hear or think something and a tiny shard of data jumps to the front of my mind."

The reploid girl regarded him curiously. "What was it about?"

Zero smiled at that, mostly to himself. "It was about a girl I used to know."

Alouette's eyes went wide at that. "Was she your girlfriend?" she asked excited. "Were you doing grownup staff together?" she went on, entirely too innocently.

The red hunter cocked a brow at that. Part of him was embarrassed, but something inside him refused to feel that way. Perhaps his past self had been quite shameless, as the unknown girl in his memory had hinted. "Perhaps, perhaps," he answered conspiratorially. "Do you want me to describe what we did?" he asked equally innocently.

Alouette's face went beet-red, proving to Zero she knew more about 'grownup staff' than she let on. "Ick! No, never mind!" she replied very fast, plugging both her ears for good measure despite the special add-ons protecting her from the wasteland dust. At Zero's laughter, she pouted, kicking him flimsily on his leg. With her inhibitors on, he barely felt a thing. "You fooled me", she complained.

Zero smirked evilly. Some forgotten part of him knew how to play this game. "Turnaround is fair play. You tried first", he riposted.

She seemed affronted at that. "You are such a boy!" As soon as the words left her mouth, she blinked. "No you are not! You said that on purpose. You fooled me again, usually you are so serious."

Zero smiled serenely, gazing at the stars above him. "If you can act like an adult, I can act like a kid", he explained with a hint of sadness. "No one would believe you if you told them." Even when being so relaxed, his reflexes responded. His hand moved very fast, catching an incoming metal bar poised for his head.

"I prefer you when you are the teacher," explained Alouette mirthfully, raising her own weapon and challenging him.

Zero grinned. "A spar under the stars. I seem to remember these never get old."

**-c-c-**

"Well?" demanded Copy X anxiously.

Phantom bowed very low. "Plan Ourovoros works fine, master. I just managed to establish contact."

The copy of X smirked gleefully. "Excellent. Do we know the location of the base?"

Phantom shook his head. "Unfortunately, master, Dr. Ciel's scrambling field works too well. We just got the same general location as every other time. I would need to raise the sleeper's level and even then it's not surefire."

Copy X frowned. "I'm just about ready to order everyone out there until they find something. What do you have if not the location?"

Phantom passed him a data pad. "This is a short description of every important Resistance member, as well as their usual schedule. A morale attack can be just as effective as a military one."

The blue reploid skimmed the list, his face turning gleeful. "There is potential here, Phantom. Leave me! I need to study these thoroughly. Return tomorrow."

**-c-c-**

Zero and Alouette walked back to the base together. The red hunter had gotten a mild workout, while she was just about ready to collapse, yet she hadn't complained once. When Zero stopped walking, she turned to ask him what was wrong. She remained silent, however, when she noticed he was trying to hear something.

After a while, the red warrior sighed. "There was someone out there, someone trying to remain hidden."

The girl instinctively stepped closer, keeping her voice down. "Are you sure? I heard nothing."

He frowned in response. "They were good. Very good. I thought I was imagining things at first, but they must have had some mechanical edge to be so stealthy."

The sound of a step reached their ears and they both snapped towards the source. When an old-looking reploid came into sight, Alouette sighed in relief. "It's just you, grandpa. You scared us!" she chided. "This is grandpa Andrew", she explained to Zero. "Come, I'll introduce you."

"There you are Alouette", exclaimed Andrew, very relieved. "Ciel has been looking for you." He turned to face Zero, taking in his red armor. "And who are you youngster?"

Zero blinked at that. Everyone else until now either knew him or would recognize him soon enough. He didn't mind the fact, though, and he smiled. He was also curious about the bald, wrinkled elder. According to his sensors he was as frail as he looked, unheard of for a reploid.

Alouette didn't share his mirth. "Grandpa!" she cried. "This is Zero. Don't tell me you forgot what I told you!"

Andrew nodded in recognition. "So, you are the young whippersnapper that recently joined. Are you kicking butt yet? Don't worry, soon you can become like the rest of the reploids in our base. Practice makes perfect."

The girl reploid slapped a palm on her face. "Don't mind him, Zero, he has a few loose circuits", she whispered. "This is Zero, grandpa, the real one."

Andrew nodded condescendingly, patting her on the head. "Of course he is, dear. Why, I did see him once back when I was first activated. Let's walk back inside together now."

The girl sighed again in frustration. "Sure grandpa," she replied unenthusiastically. "I bet we could run ahead and he wouldn't notice," she whispered, nudging at Zero's side.

At her hopeful eyes, Zero stifled an evil grin. "Come now Alouette, us young people should listen to the advice of those older than us," he declared sagely.

Alouette gaped at him, while Andrew nodded with fervor. "That's the right attitude, youngster. I wish more were like you. I remember myself at your age. I might not look it, but I was a handsome reploid back in the day. Very popular with the ladies, you know."

"Probably lady dinosaurs", whispered the reploid girl.

Andrew never gave any indication he heard her. "The moon was full that beautiful night it happened..."

"Let it be a werewolf story, please," she whispered in despair. Zero, making sure to match Andrew's slow pace, had to bite his cheek.

"I was unloading containers from the ship I was working on to a warehouse at the harbor, when I heard the melody of a song stirring the night air alive..." he went on dreamily.

"No luck", she added deflated.

The elder reploid sighed. "I was curious, of course, so I left my job to investigate."

The reploid girl shook her head. "And you wonder why he had been reduced to petty manual labor for mechaniloids."

"She was a human girl, barely a lady, her long hair cascading like a shinning waterfall. Her song was heavenly and she had gathered quite a crowd..." Andrew seemed lost in his own recollection.

"...that was doubting her sanity. Why sing in some crummy, dirty harbor in the middle of the night?" wondered Alouette, rolling her eyes.

"You are pretty cynical for a kid", noted Zero, also whispering, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

Andrew nodded to himself. "As I said before, I was quite the player back then. Some say reploids can only love superficially, since our minds and bodies are made of machines, but, to my disbelief, I found myself deeply entranced by her song."

Alouette made a face. "If he also starts talking about grown-up staff, I'm shutting myself down", she declared defiantly.

The elderly reploid continued unfazed. "I introduced myself and during the span of many months, we got to know each other. We fell in love and started living together." At that he blinked a bit, turning to face Zero for the first time since the beginning of his story. "I hope I'm not tiring you out, my boy," he questioned more than stated, looking a bit sheepish.

"You are, you are, you are", whispered the girl frantically, like repeating a mantra.

"Of course not, Andrew", replied Zero wickedly. "Please, go on." Alouette groaned.

"Oh, you want to listen!" he marveled, sounding both astonished and delighted. The young girl scanned her surroundings for something convenient to bash her head on. Andrew appeared puzzled for a moment. "Now where was I? Did I already explain about us living together?"

"Yes, yes, you did grandpa," exclaimed Alouette urgently. "You explained in great detail, so don't focus on that fact at all. You told us everything about what you and the girl did." Zero raised a brow at that, half-bemused, half-speculative.

"I did?" asked Andrew disorientated. "Silly me. Well then, after many happy years, she started to grow older and wrinkled while I stayed the same. We reploids don't show our age, you know."

"A fact he is completely disregarding when it comes to you", she snarled at Zero accusingly in a very low voice. The red hunter shrugged pleasantly.

The old-looking reploid sighed. "She slowly came to resent the way she looked. She tried to avoid me, thinking she did not deserve me."

"Based on the facts, I'd say they deserved each other alright", quipped Alouette, nodding importantly. Zero smiled, shaking his head.

"...So I decided to find someone to modify me into what I am today. I showed her how much I wanted for us to be together."

The girl appeared mortified. "Please add, '_in a strictly platonic way'_, pretty please..."

Andrew's optics filled with moisture. "She passed away a long time ago, as humans do." Sighing again, he perked up a bit. "Her memory will never be erased from my databanks, no matter how many years pass me by, though. I will never forget her..."

"Like you forget half of everything you do or are told", complained the girl gloomily.

Andrew faced both of them again, just as they reached the hatch to the Resistance base. "Thank you so much for listening to my story, son," he said in gratitude. "I will find a way to properly thank you one day, mark my words."

Zero smiled. "No need Andrew. The story was all the reward I needed."

Andrew nodded before inputting a password and hailing a very edgy guard. "Until next time, good luck!"

As soon as he was out of sight, Alouette all but jumped on the red warrior. "Why did you encourage him?" she demanded.

He shrugged. "I decided to humor him. Respect the elders and all that", he replied nonchalantly.

"You are older than him", she hissed back.

Zero raised a brow. "Why are you so negative to him. It's so unlike you. The Alouette I know is always so cheery and kind."

She looked down in shame. "Because I don't want him to keep doing this to himself. He is a good person, kind, smart, wise. And yet he's only a shadow of his true self. When mommy Ciel checked his systems, she was horrified. What he's doing to himself is criminal."

The red hunter nodded. "He did it for her though. Can't really blame him."

Alouette glared at him. "I don't blame him for that. It was very noble. She is gone though. He doesn't need to keep doing this." Zero blinked. She was close to tears. "He needs to get over her. He is so frail and he could be so strong. Instead he is stuck inside an almost useless old body."

"Like you are stuck in a very young one?" he asked gently, hazarding a guess. Instead of responding, she refused to look at him, grabbing his hand and holding it tightly as they also walked inside the base.

Zero had a lot to contemplate, although a part of his mind was uneasy. There had been another presence out there before Andrew and he had never properly investigated.

**-c-c-**

The two reploids kissed with passion, their weapons discarded nearby. "So, do you really think I'm prettier than Dr. Ciel?" asked the female one, straightening her lustrous red hair.

The green-clad Resistance grunt kissed her again. "Of course you are, love. Not that I have anything against our illustrious leader, but she can get so boring sometimes. She is locked in that lab of hers most of the day and night."

Her face brightened. "Why don't we go find a quiet place? I want to show you how..."

An irritated cough, coming from the very entrance they were supposed to be guarding, caused them to jump three meters back and away from each other. "Not to be a spoilsport, but if I had a rank in the Resistance, this would have been two weeks of garbage detail for criminal negligence of duty. That's how it worked back in the hunters' days, from what little I can recall."

The two sentries were still looking bewildered at the crimson-armored reploid that had caught them red-handed. "Mr. Zero, sir, I can explain", tried the male reploid, while his apparent girlfriend was doing her best to look innocent and charming.

"And while I'm sure it'll be amusing, I do have a rank in the Resistance." The new voice, coming from the opposite direction, scared away any kind of coherence the duo had managed to achieve. Colbor, looking very angry and vindictive, was glaring at them fiercely. "Two weeks of desert scavenging for both of you. Each at a different site."

As the two guards nodded sheepishly, Colbor glared one last time and followed Zero that had already entered the base. "Seriously," complained the red hunter. "A month of no enemy activity and security is already compromised."

More than four weeks had passed since Anubis' defeat and everyone was lying low. Apart from the occasional minor raid the Resistance had been very inactive. Between the new power plant and their previous massive operations, they had no real need for supplies. The four reploids rescued from the shuttle had fully integrated in the Resistance ranks with little tension and had forgotten their ordeal.

Zero himself had had mixed feelings about the stillness. He had used the time productively, recalling and enhancing his own skills, ordering what little of his memories he could access, teaching Alouette in secret and socializing with many other Resistance members. On the other hand, the lull of activity was making him nervous and restless. Whether it was because of his instincts anticipating something, or whether he was just craving to fight, he couldn't tell and wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Colbor sighed, but nodded. "The quieter the things are, the more we lose what little militarization we have. A good part of these reploids are civilian models, Zero. When they need to fight, they will do so, but most lack the discipline needed to keep vigilant. How went the scouting, by the way?"

A week back, Zero had decided to start scouting the area around the Resistance base. His official reason was to become familiar with the terrain, but he was also on the lookout for any Neo-Arcadians or rogue mechaniloids.

The red warrior shrugged. "Nothing important. In fact, it is way too quiet." At Colbor's nod, he decided to change the subject. "Is that true about Ciel? I did notice she was a bit pale yesterday, when she joined us in the mess hall, but I hadn't realized it was so serious."

The Resistance commander shook his head. "She is that bad and more. I have tried to persuade her to take it easy for a while, but she'll hear none of it. She is a young human girl, still growing up, Zero. If you talk to her, she might listen."

Zero smiled a bit. "I guess someone has to care for her, since she is too busy caring and worrying about everyone else."

They both laughed at that, parting ways at the next intersection. While Colbor left to oversee his unit's training drills, Zero made a detour to the mess hall, retrieved something from Viny, brought it back outside, then went on, passing by the command center and stopping before Ciel's door. He hesitated for a bit, trying to decide how to enter, then smirked as a convenient memory resurfaced. Concentrating hard, he covered the door's security panel with his palm, his systems automatically hacking the flimsy password protecting it.

Silent like a shadow, he entered, taking in the room's contents. It was a haphazard mix of living quarters and laboratory, with three times the combined mess. Mountains of synthetic paper and data disks, an unmade bed, hundreds of mismatched mechanical components scattered everywhere, a powerful-looking data server, pillars of dirty plates and utensils, a garbage bin filled to two times its normal capacity, stale, dust-bunny filled air, a small door, apparently leading to a bathroom and numerous scorched surfaces.

In the middle of the disaster area and oblivious to the world, Ciel was seated, her focus total, her fingers blurring all over a battered keyboard.

In the end, Zero decided to apply the tried and true method. He pointlessly cleared his throat once more. The result was even more profane than with the guarding couple. The young scientist gasped audibly, leaping from her seat and trying to turn around at the same time, one hand on her heart. This resulted in her legs tangling themselves and she would have fallen if not for the red reploid intruder that caught her in time. "Where, how, what?" she tried, alternatively paling and blushing. Gathering her wits, she took a deep breath. "How did you get in?" she finally managed.

Zero had retreated a bit, leaning on one of the few clear walls and looking very relaxed. "You need a better lock", he deadpanned, causing her to blink.

"I could make one," she responded, still a bit dazed. Shaking her head to clear it, she tried to voice another question, but he beat her to it.

"As for what I'm doing here, I came to see my favorite human in the vicinity", he added as if that explained everything.

Ciel blinked again, trying to grasp the notion. "I am the only human in the vicinity", she replied somewhat dryly. Zero simply nodded, entirely too cheerfully. The blond prodigy sighed, a part of her wanting him to stay with her. "Look, Zero," she started, hating every word. "I do have an idea about what you are trying to do and I thank you, but I happen to be really busy right now."

Zero all but ignored her. "By the way, I heard some most interesting rumors about a teenager from somewhere around here that seems to have forgotten how to take care of herself."

The human girl crossed her arms defensively at that, trying to glare at him. The black circles under her large blue eyes dimmed the effect quite a bit, though. "Some people around here seem to forget I am not a kid," she riposted stubbornly. "I have responsibilities here and I most certainly know how to take care of myself."

As on cue, one of her blond bangs fell right into her eye. Still trying a staring contest with the red hunter, she futilely tried to blow it back to its place without using her hands, as if to prove a point. After ten seconds of that routine, Zero decided he had been trying to hold back from laughing way too long. With speed she barely registered, he grabbed her off her feet and into the same bridal hold he had used back in the laboratory she had found him.

"Zero!" she squealed in disbelief, holding for dear life as he dashed to the door, opened it and kept dashing through the corridors. "What are you doing?"

"Normally, I'd say I'm kidnapping you", he started mirthfully, dodging a couple of reploids that had been walking through the base. "But since you aren't a kid, I'm merely abducting you."

Ciel blinked, then her eyes went wide as they approached the elevator. "Zero, the booth is not on this floor," she warned.

Zero, running as fast as he could without hurting the much frailer girl in his arms, shrugged. "Elevators are overrated." Ignoring Ciel's bewildered eyes, he leaped in the empty elevator shaft and rapidly wall-kicked his way upwards. Dashing by the same guards he had encountered before, he left the Resistance base and sprinted through a derelict urban area. Casually scaling one of the more intact buildings, he reached the roof and deposited his unwilling passenger on a cloth mattress he had obviously prepared from before.

Even though she was now seated, Ciel had resumed the exact same stance, arms crossed, eyes glaring and hair abusing her eye. "What is the meaning of this?" she hissed.

Zero remained unfazed. "I should have realized, many customs have been forgotten since I was last awake." Producing what incredulously seemed like a wicker basket from behind a boulder he imperiously presented it to her. "This is a picnic", he declared. "It's an old custom involving taking a break and eating somewhere outside. Unfortunately, there was no grass around here so we'll have to settle for the nice view," he clarified, indicating the sun that would soon start setting.

Ciel groaned. "I know what a picnic is!" she exclaimed.

The crimson warrior nodded. "Therefore, you should start eating at once. Wouldn't want Viny's superb meal to spoil, would we? Perhaps we can still do something about your stunted height and built after all," he added innocently.

She saw red at that, leaping to her feet and pointing at him accusingly. "There is nothing wrong with my height", she declared in a tone suggesting the opposite.

"Of course not", he replied condescendingly. "You are, what, fifteen? The malnourishment makes you look like twelve or something. Really unbecoming of the glorious leader of the Resistance."

Ciel sat down again, looking away from him to hide her burning cheeks. "For your information, I'm almost sixteen. And there is nothing malnourished about me."

She missed the wicked smile on his face. "Yeah, right. I bet I can count your ribs easily," he replied. Before she could process his words, he started doing just that. Seconds later, the serious prodigy had been reduced to a giggling, wheezing mess. Never stopping, he cocked a brow. "Didn't think you were the ticklish type," he lied with an artificially crooked face.

The pink-clad girl tried to glare at him again, but the effect was ruined by the fact she was almost crying from Zero's merciless assault. "You win, you win. I'll eat everything," she relented.

The scarlet hunter stopped, nodding to himself. "That's a good girl." She replied by punching him at the shoulder, which hurt her a lot more that it hurt him. Zero regarded her intently as she ate. Her previously dull eyes were sparkling and her expression leaned more to a smile than to a frown.

"Is there something on my face?" she asked as she finished a tuna sandwich.

Once more, some forgotten deposit of experience inside him prevented him from feeling embarrassed about being caught staring. "No, I'm just entranced by your angelic visage", he responded.

She made a face. "You have been hanging around old Andrew way too much. I'm certain I look atrocious right now", she said, irritably removing that same bang from her eye once more as if to make a point.

He joined her, grabbing a sandwich for himself. "My point is, you will waste away if you keep up the same pace," he explained seriously. "I don't know why you keep working so hard. Perhaps it's dedication that drives you, but my disjoint memories point more towards guilt."

Ciel went pale at that, her eyes assuming a haunted look. He noticed at once and sighed. "I don't need to know," he went on, before she could begin what he knew would be a forced confession. "You are obviously not ready to tell me." She snapped her jaw shut at that, looking very sheepish. "But just so you know, what memories I have recovered tell me I do fight for the right side."

The young scientist smiled brightly at that. "Thank you so much, Zero. With your support I will be able to finish my research in time." At the end of the sentence, she practically devoured the last of the picnic treats, marveling at how hungry she had really been.

"So, tell me about your research," he prompted, causing her to blink astonished. "Don't tell me that no one ever asks."

She bit her lip at that. "Not many can understand the concepts."

Zero grinned in response. "Start from layman's terms and we can go from there. If I can stay awake for Andrew's stories, I can stay awake for you."

He ignored her indignant expression and she huffed. "As I've already told you, the world is in the middle of an energy crisis. The geothermal plants produce less and less energy and things like fission and fusion generators are lost to us."

The red hunter raised a brow. "You surely know how they work."

She sighed at that. "We know in principal, but the technical specifications are lost. We would need years and hundreds of researchers and technicians working together to re-invent a practical fusion reactor. Since there are no actual reactors left, it's easier to try for something less messy."

"There is an active fusion reactor underneath Neo-Arcadia," he stated in response, causing her eyes to go wide. "From what little I remember, X and I recovered it from a gigantic floating fortress in secret. The city would have never been founded without it."

"You mean an orbital station?" she asked with interest.

Zero shook his head. "No, floating as in levitating a dozen meters off the ground. It must have been a fifth as large as Neo-Arcadia."

"Impossible! The energy it would need…"

"The reactor was larger than the mess hall and very high tech. The fortress was destroyed but it survived intact." At her hopeful expression he sighed. "Don't get your hopes up. We did try to have it studied, but realized we'd have to deactivate it and then Neo-Arcadia would have been toast."

She also sighed. "Well, that explains why the city's power grid did not collapse year ago. Anyway, I'm trying to find a way to produce energy by using Energen as a catalyst, not as fuel as we do today. The cyber-elves can do it to a point, but I need to find the right frequencies and procedures."

Zero reacted with recognition. "Gate's Principal," he exclaimed and it was her time to be surprised. "You are trying to create energy through the Cyberworld."

Ciel gasped. "You are familiar with Gate's Principal?"

Zero seemed unsure. "I think so," he replied hesitantly, rubbing his temples. "Perhaps I knew Gate in person?"

The scientist shook her head. "I wasn't even sure there was an actual Gate person. No history left. His Principal is hardly geared for energy production, it wasn't his field, I guess, but I found a way to twist his quadratic equations for my purposes."

The reploid's face turned grave. "From what little I remember, the Cyberworld is very dangerous. You might be able to draw unlimited power, but without absolute control…"

Ciel nodded. "I know. That's why I'm not going to draw power directly. Instead, I will be sending matter through the link, turn it into pure energy, then draw it back again."

Zero considered that. "You would get 100 percent conversion rate without the dangers of antimatter annihilation", he marveled.

The pink-clad scientist nodded excited. "I can't believe you understand all that!" she exclaimed, turning sad a second later. "I'm so sorry! I underestimated you. I thought you… well."

Zero was not fazed by her hesitance. "You thought I was mainly combat-geared," he finished for her and she blushed guiltily at the euphemism. "According to what little history I've seen in your archives, I was around for more than two centuries before I went in stasis. It seems I did pick up more than just fighting."

She unconsciously leaned on him, savoring some of the strong coffee he had included inside a thermos. "Once I succeed in developing the substitute energy source, I plan to find a place as away from Neo-Arcadia as possible. I'll take along everyone that wants to follow. We will be able to thrive without war hanging above us, without death waiting at every corner. If…when that happens, you will come along, won't you, Zero?"

The sun was setting as he contemplated that. "Only time will tell. I will want to come along at first, if only to help you begin the new settlement. But, Ciel, are you really capable of leaving Neo-Arcadia behind?"

He felt her stiffen at that and he knew the answer. "I… I want to help everyone. Neo-Arcadia was my home and the home of my parents. I do have a bit of a family back there," she admitted, bitterly thinking about the Guardians. They couldn't have been more like her siblings if they shared the same race and blood. "But there is no hope as long as… X is in charge." She removed her eyes from the sunset, facing Zero fully, her hand seeking and finding his own. "I don't want you to fight him, Zero. Even if you think you can win, I don't want you to risk it. You are very important to the Resistance, but also you are very important to m..."

She was cut of as Siri appeared out of thin air, collapsing on their mattress exhausted. "It's, it's horrible!" she gasped. Zero noted in concern she had numerous wounds that leaked raw data, even though they were healing pretty fast. Her iridescent aura had all but died down and he could see her features clearly. A part of him recognized her, but he decided it wasn't important.

"What happened?" he asked gently, lifting her in his palm.

"Isis and Alouette!" she replied. "Neo-Arcadia kidnapped them!"

Zero's eyes narrowed and went ice cold, just as Ciel tried and failed to avoid panicking.

**-c-c-**

And this must be my harshest cliffhanger yet. As far as character development goes, I'm very satisfied with this one. The only way to include Andrew was to find a third party with live commentary, thus Alouette and her very valid reasons.

In the next chapter, I'm going to start a two-phase mission, akin to the data recovery-tower invasion one, a.k.a. a canon mission closely connected with an original one.

I hope this one held your interest alive. Thank you all for your reviews, despite my hectic and chaotic update schedule.


	32. Crimson tunnels

**Chapter 32: crimson tunnels**

**-c-c-**

Siri willed herself to calm down, if only to relay accurate information. "When I saw them from afar, Alouette was knocked out and Isis was in an elf cage. They must have been at the edge of our T-net, because five reploids and twenty pantheons transed in as I was flying to them. One of the reploids was very powerful. He had black and white armor with an angular mask."

Ciel gasped at that. "Phantom, the third Guardian."

Siri sighed. "He noticed me at once and ordered the others to shoot me down. I managed to deactivate five drones, but in the end they got me good," she explained wincing. "I phased out underground, so they couldn't catch me, but I couldn't save them."

Zero nodded, surprisingly calm. "Rest, Siri. You did your best."

The digital iridescent fey shook her head. "I only need a moment. I want… need to help as much as I can."

"We need to get back to the base," said Ciel urgently. Zero regarded her carefully, noticing her pale face, wild eyes and nervously clenching hands.

"Ciel…" he tried calmly.

"We will send out search parties. I can probably field three hundred in two hours…"

"Ciel!" demanded Zero, this time a bit harshly.

"I will contact the Branches and make sure they look, too. Perhaps we can…" She was cut out when Zero reacted. The red hunter had removed one of his gauntlets and had slapped her on the cheek with his bare palm, just hard enough for the sting to be felt. She brought her hand at her face in shock, gawking at him as he replaced his armored glove. "What..?"

"Listen to yourself!" he demanded again. "You are so panicked you can't form a coherent thought."

She blinked at that. "But Alouette… Isis…"

"Are part of the Resistance but not important enough to justify putting everyone else in grave danger. Where would you have them look? We have no idea where they are. They need you sober and rational, Ciel." At that he paused, drawing a deep breath. "Also there is a spy in the base," he added gravely, causing the other two females to gape at him.

Siri had recovered enough to fly to his face's level. "How can you tell?"

He snorted at that. "Isis and Alouette were inside the base today. I saw them when I returned from scouting. Since there is no Neo-Arcadian army on our doorstep, they still don't know our exact location. Therefore an insider helped them. We must be very careful to whom we tell our plans."

"What should we do?" inquired Ciel meekly. Zero's accusations had made her realize just how unreliable she had been seconds ago.

"How were they taken?"

Siri bobbed up and down at that. "They transed Alouette away, but they couldn't do the same with Isis. She can block the signal if she wants to. Instead, a Pantheon team took her away on attack bikes. The wheeled ones, not ride chasers."

Zero turned to Ciel, his gaze almost causing her to flinch. "We need intelligence. Are there any hidden enemy bases around? Those bikes have a limited range."

She steeled herself and nodded. "One of the shuttle fugitives, Morvex, gave us the information." Her hands were still shaking, but she was doing her best to breathe properly. "One base is close to the ocean. It's from before the Elf Wars and connects to the sea with an underground tunnel. The other is closer to Neo-Arcadia and a train line to the City starts from there."

Siri turned to face the pink-clad scientist. "They could have used a plane. Or even a flying reploid."

Ciel promptly reached for her visor that was always connected to the Resistance's mainframe. "No," she added relived. "We have been monitoring both bases for airborne activity and there has been nothing."

"Isis is at the train base," deadpanned Zero. "They will want to get her out of our reach fast and the fastest way apart from flying is by rail."

Ciel nodded to herself. "We have already drawn a plan to raid that base. They recently brought in some very advanced equipment and their guard is relatively sparse."

Zero smiled faintly. "So we will just begin the raid a bit earlier. If we do save them in the process, none can complain." His face hardened. "They will probably keep them alive for a while. They might abuse them and show us evidence, but they could also be bargaining chips. Either way, we have some time."

Ciel nodded again, trying not to look too mortified. "So, let's go. We will need at least sixteen hours to prepare everything and verify the data," she added anxiously. "You were right, Zero, I almost sent everyone to their deaths."

"Not yet," countered Zero. "We must decide what to tell the rest." At Ciel questioning face, he sighed. "This is a morale attack, Ciel. They took Isis and especially Alouette to hurt our spirit. We can't just tell everyone they snatched them from under our very noses, even if it's true."

"We can't hide the fact either!" she riposted, a bit frantic. Zero was right, she realized. It was a very personal attack and not only to her. Almost everyone in the Resistance liked the tiny reploid girl and even Isis, with her outgoing personality, had become a sort of mascot.

"In this case, strategy suggests we use the middle way", advised Siri sagely. "Standard military procedure. We reveal the truth, but we make it a bit milder. I was along with Isis and Alouette and we had sneaked away from the base when they caught us."

Ciel accepted that hesitantly, while Zero nodded impressed. "This will work. Let's go then," he finished, grabbing Ciel again and dashing back. The trip was far more uncomfortable for her, but she didn't complain. It was times like that she wished she had had a reploid body.

**-c-c-**

Elpizo savored his coffee while watching his baby elf gorging herself with energy crystals. He had been waiting Elisa, but was still astonished when she burst inside the cafeteria, drawing lots of attention. "Emergency mission, people," she declared to the fifty or so reploids present. "The train base raid has moved up the schedule. Apparently, we will combine it with a rescue mission."

The pink-clad male sighed. "I hate it when things get out of order."

Elisa smirked. "Nevertheless, it was decided by Dr. Ciel herself. It will be a three-way assault. We, along with many Core troopers, will attack at both sides from above the ground. At the same time, a small but strong unit will go from an underground tunnel."

Elpizo raised a brow. "They will need to be very good to do that. The garrison will be expecting them there."

Elisa's grin turned feral. "Zero himself will be leading the attack. Rumor has it, one of the prisoners is his friend."

"Zero…" he uttered thoughtfully. "What can one reploid, even someone like him, do?"

The Resistance commander smacked him on the head for that. "He has single-handedly dismantled enemies we couldn't even touch. I even heard he took down a golem with a single attack."

Elpizo sighed. "If you believe these absurd rumors, then Zero has also gone on the moon, has returned to life half a dozen times and has even rammed a space colony with a shuttle. It's nothing but old fairytales, I say."

Elisa sighed. "He defeated Anubis Necromancess the Third-I guess she'll be the Fourth now. I used to know her before I joined the Resistance and no one other than a Guardian could beat her."

The other reploid shrugged. "We will see, I guess. I bet we will have to save them in the end."

**-c-c-**

When Zero entered Cerveau's lab, the reploid engineer noticed at once, in spite of the fact the red hunter had been soundless. Cerveau gulped despite himself. While he was usually a very rational and logical person, he could practically taste the tension and aggression the other was channeling. He looked normal at first glance, but there was something different, as if the power of his presence was leaking all over the place.

"You wanted to see me, Cerveau?" asked Zero simply. His voice was calm and collected, yet the engineer felt a shudder crawling up his spine.

Collecting his wits, he tossed a silvery-white tube, which Zero caught easily. "A new saber?" he inquired curiously, igniting the weapon. It was very similar to his Z-saber, even down to the green color, although it was about half the length.

Cerveau actually smiled. "Check the other side," he prompted. Zero did so and a second blade appeared.

Zero nodded. "Both unusual and useful. One can block very fast with this."

The engineer gave him a data chip, which he assimilated immediately. A small pin appeared on each of his arm guards. Zero understood at once, finding a matching slot on the weapon's side and placing it on the pin. The double saber clicked, then started spinning faster and faster until it resembled a disk of lethal green energy.

"I call it the Shield Boomerang", declared Cerveau proudly. He deflated a bit at that. "Unfortunately, it's not complete. You can send it flying in a pinch, but even with the guidance systems, it's still very dangerous to catch it. I almost lost an arm once," he explained, fingering a tear on his coat sleeve. The skin underneath seemed to be brand new.

Zero regarded the new weapon thoughtfully, then eyed a pile of scrap at one of the room's corners. "You need this stuff?" he asked casually.

Cerveau cocked a brow at that. "They are just the junk our people have scavenged from the desert. Occasionally, I find good components in there, but half of the time, I can't even recognize what they do. Lost tech and all that."

The crimson hunter nodded, searching through the pile and retrieving some parts unknown to Cerveau. The engineer paid close, silent attention as Zero took a seat and started dismantling the Shield Boomerang almost instinctively. "It's very similar to my saber," he commented. "You based it on its designs."

Cerveau shrugged. "They are the best I have seen, although I could never replicate them completely."

Zero nodded again, absently using Cerveau's tools without even looking. "It seems like my hands know how to do this," he marveled. The engineer, that was paying much closer attention, almost gasped as a faint purple aura originating from Zero's hands washed over the weapon in his hands. Oblivious to that, Zero replaced the weapon's outer shell and ignited it. The engineer noticed the blades looked a bit brighter. Then he had to flinch when Zero stabbed his own hand with it.

To his disbelief, the blade left no mark. "How?" he asked.

Zero smirked. "Resonance chip. They invented them some time back, first so that rookies wouldn't cut their heads off, then to use weapon styles that require touching the blade's side. Unless I want to, my own blades can't hurt me."

By that time, Cerveau was starry-eyed. "Can you teach me how to do this?"

Zero thought about it. "I wanted to ask you for another saber, anyway. Give me one and you can watch again as I modify it."

Obliging, Cerveau observed entranced once again as Zero's fingers worked. "It's so simple in principal," he muttered, eyeing the saber and a tiny chip that was supposed to be placed inside the owner's body. "For whom is this sword?" he asked casually.

Zero's face went blank at that and his grip tightened. Another unseen burst of purple energy washed over the new weapon. "It's a gift and I intend to deliver it personally," he replied dangerously, and Cerveau knew not to ask any more.

"Will you be leaving soon?" he went on concerned.

The red warrior sighed. At the same time, a couple bottles at the other side of the room rattled together for no explainable reason. "We leave in five hours", he clarified, turning and leaving before the engineer could add more.

Cerveau also sighed. "Bring them back, Zero. I don't think Ciel can keep it together for long."

**-c-c-**

"They are just an elf and a shrimp of a reploid, it's not like it's the end of the world," groused Morvex, sounding a bit annoyed.

Michael, sitting next to him, sighed. "Just because the word compassion doesn't exist in your vocabulary, it doesn't mean everyone else is the same."

Bianka nodded. "Everyone, but especially Dr. Ciel and Zero were close to both of them. This whole abduction can hurt us in a way no physical weapon could."

Morvex frowned. "That's why forming bonds is a waste of good time. Teamwork is okay, but anything more is redundant."

Colbor chose that moment to sit beside them, carrying his food tray and having heard the tail of the conversation. "Everyone needs someone," he commented casually. "One would think you are a few centuries old, being that jaded."

To their disbelief, the black-armored warrior reddened a bit. "I'm five," he answered, and the others tried to hold back their laughter. "It's not funny!" he added to no effect.

Bolthor clapped him on the back, his own heavy gauntlets ignoring the sharp ridges. "Don't feel bad about your age, mate. Bianka here is just as old and I'm only thrice that much."

Colbor smiled at that. "You guys make me feel old. I'll be turning thirty any day now." The others looked at him strangely. "Don't worry, I won't start telling stories like old Andrew."

Bolthor laughed heartily at that. "What about Zero?" he asked. "How old would he be?"

Colbor considered that. "Should we count the time he was in stasis? If yes, then he should be at least three-hundred and fifty. History is a bit sketchy there."

Morvex whistled at that. "Even without most of his memory, I can't imagine how that would be. I mean, if I ever reach that age…"

He stopped at that, as did everyone else inside the large chamber. A feeling of dread registered in their minds out of the blue, just before Zero entered the mess hall. The red hunter did not look any different than any other time, but all could somehow feel the difference in the very air around them. Everyone tried very hard not to stare as he picked up a food tray from a pale-looking Viny, thanked him with a casual smile and left with it.

Bolthor blinked, turning his stare down at his hands that were shaking. "This… was different," he muttered.

Colbor gulped and nodded. "He is furious, isn't he? He acts absolutely normal and calm, but his own power disagrees."

Bianka could only nod in accordance as Morvex frowned. "I think I'll try to stay away from him during the mission. As far away as possible."

**-c-c-**

Siri phased through a closed door, entering the dark room behind it. There was nothing to indicate the place was occupied, but she knew otherwise. "Why are you hiding here, Zero?" she asked, confident he could hear her.

"I'm preparing myself for the mission," he explained after a long pause. "Also, my presence seems to be disturbing," he added a bit darkly.

The digital fairy sighed, flying to the source of the voice. Her multicolored aura shined brightly, revealing Zero that was lying on top of some old crates. "You are brooding," she accused. "If this is about not being there to save them, then stop. If anyone's at fault for lacking ability, it's me."

Zero sighed deeply, opening his palm and prompting the elf to sit. "It's just that I feel really aggressive right now. If I'm around people, I get the urge to tear them apart", he confessed.

Instead of looking revolted like he expected, the normally peace-loving cyber-elf smiled sadly. "Then why aren't I a glowing stain on a wall yet?" she joked.

Zero blinked at that, examining the electronic entity carefully. "You appear to be the exception," he replied thoughtfully. "Somehow, I can't feel any rage at you."

She smiled brightly at that. "Zero, don't be afraid of who you are," she advised. At his unblinking stare, she went on. "You are powerful, Zero. You are capable of destruction beyond the measure of this world. But at the same time, you are a beautiful person. You can be compassionate and kind to those that deserve it."

He looked away at that. "What if I destroy those that don't deserve it?" he asked quietly.

She sighed at that. "If I have learned one thing in my life, it's that war is horrible. Very often, good people die without deserving it." Her eyes hardened at that. "When I was younger I believed that everything can be resolved without war. I was naïve and it cost me…" She halted at that, looking at Zero a bit nervously. "Anyway, this **is** war and you have chosen your side."

Zero nodded at that. "You were right. I am afraid of my own power," he admitted, albeit with great difficulty. Still, he found it surprisingly easy to talk to Siri openly.

"Do not hold back," she almost ordered, smiling wryly at his wide eyes. "I know it's the last thing you'd expect me to say, but both Isis and Alouette are precious to me." The cyber-elf closed her eyes for a while, taking a big breath. "Fighting is in your nature, Zero. You need to fight to be true to yourself. Only then can you be sure your mind will be clear enough to keep in control."

For the first time since he had learned about the abduction, Zero smiled, sincerely amused. "So you're telling me that since I am prone to massacre things, to make sure I target the enemies."

Siri blushed at that. "You are not that bad," she muttered. Shaking her head, she touched Zero's cold gauntlet as if she needed the contact. "I will be with you the whole time. I can feel Isis if I'm close enough to her position. If something goes wrong, I'll bring you back to your senses."

Zero nodded, still a bit amused. She purposefully ignored that. "Just remember two things. If you ever ask yourself what is your reason to go on, remember that you have the power to make things better. And if you ever ask yourself what you are fighting for, remember that you fight for those you believe in, for those you care about." Without another word, the iridescent fairy left the room, leaving him to his solitude.

"How familiar," he whispered, once again cursing his fragmented memory. He brought his hand to his eyes and noted to his disbelief they were damp. He felt a huge weight he didn't know he had been carrying leave his shoulders, just as the energy inside him settled down.

At the same time, everyone in the Resistance base breathed a bit easier.

**-c-c-**

Alouette woke up in pain. Astonishingly, her doll was still in her grip and she squeezed it in search of comfort. Her systems indicated something had hit her on the head hard enough to disrupt her cognitive activity and that she had been unconscious for more than ten hours.

She opened her eyes in a hurry, then wished she had kept them tightly shut. Standing nearby and sneering down at her prone form was the Third Guardian of Neo-Arcadia, Phantom himself. She remained silent, staring at him and she had to struggle against her body that was trying to force her into a pretty futile fight-or-flight reaction.

"You are awake, I see", he commented dryly. "Let me tell you of the game," he added cruelly. "We are currently at the ruins of an old megalopolis, Megacity 3, if I'm not mistaken. Nothing sentient lives here. I have hidden a T-net generator and an energy beacon in two separate locations. Very soon the area will be filled with rogue mechaniloids, attracted by the beacon."

Alouette said nothing, but the fear was evident on her face. "Indeed, little one. After you are torn apart, we will retrieve the memory from those mechaniloids. I'm certain there are people, who will be very interested in the details of your demise."

The implications of that little comment made her lose all caution. She leaped at him, not sure why but with the intent to hurt. He smirked at that, then vanished before her eyes. She fell to the ground hard, recovering and turning to glare at where he had reappeared. In desperation, she hugged her doll, fighting back tears.

What she didn't expect was Phantom's eyes falling on said doll and growing wide. He looked mesmerized at it then his lips moved as if on their own. "There is an old Maverick Hunter base to the east. It might still be defensible." After that he blinked, looking disorientated for a second, then glared at her one last time before teleporting away.

Alouette looked thoughtful for a while. Even though she knew she was in grave danger, she was glad the Guardian had left. Two months ago she would have panicked, or she would have simply waited where she was for someone to save her. Zero's training, however, had changed her life. During the long sessions, he had taught her many other things aside from combat. He had told her that power amounts to nothing without the brains to use it and they had often talked about strategy. Alouette couldn't imagine how Zero would have been with his memory intact, but even impaired, he had proven to be a great teacher.

"I won't let you down, Zero," she declared with cold resolve. "Ciel needs me, so I will stay alive until you can come and save me or until I can save myself."

She took a deep breath, releasing her inhibitors. Zero had told her that he despised panic for it could kill the strongest of people as surely as a beam saber through the head. The first order of business was to find shelter and hopefully a weapon. Her mind went back to Phantom's out of character advice and she shrugged. The sun would soon rise and east was as good as any other direction, especially since she had no idea where she or the beacon were.

**-c-c-**

The small team raced through the tunnel, Zero leading the way along with Siri. Bolthor and Morvex were at either side and boxing Michael, while Bianka was guarding the rear. The six-people team had started the mission half an hour before the overground teams, since the underground path they were using was very old and in very bad condition.

The red hunter was obviously trying hard not to leave the rest back. He was still dashing at an unprecedented pace, forcing the rest to the limits of their endurance. He would leap above chasms without even blinking, cut through a multitude of surprisingly live cables that could have fried anyone alive and the few mechaniloids unfortunate enough to be in his way were summarily reduced to scrap.

"I should have stayed with Colbor's team," groused Michael, although he had been keeping up surprisingly easily. "Underground tunnels make me uneasy."

Morvex snorted. "As long as you can keep up with this pace long enough, this is actually the safest post of this mission," he observed.

Bolthor laughed. "No kidding. Zero's going all out and he leaves nothing for us. If he keeps it up, we won't even get to use a weapon."

Bianka giggled. "All out? Are you damaged, dear? Zero is obviously holding back on our account." She sobered at that, then added. "I shudder to think what he'll do when we reach the objective and the real battle starts."

As on cue, Zero halted abruptly, motioning them to stay quiet. They approached silently, peeking from behind a stack of empty boxes. The base's nether entrance was visible further down the tunnel, guarded by three X-drones.

"Two minutes to catch our breath," ordered Zero, and although none had actually appointed him a leader, they all accepted him as one. They couldn't help but notice he didn't look tired at all.

When the time passed, Bolthor nodded to himself before facing Zero again. "What's the plan?" he whispered.

He had to involuntarily take a step back when Zero grinned entirely too toothily. "Very simple. I go ahead and hold their attention, you clean up behind me."

Faster than any of them could process that, he crouched, then power-leaped above the crates, leaving cracks on the fortified floor. They watched in disbelief as he cleared the distance easily, landing between two of the Pantheons, grabbing their faces at the same time. Never forsaking his momentum, he used them as leverage to extend an airborne kick that knocked the head off the third Patheon and catapulted him through the entrance.

The rest of the group watched in disbelief as the two initial Pantheons fell to the ground, their heads crushed. "Well, what are you waiting for?" chirped Siri irritably, usually her abducted friend's role, before flying after Zero.

The four reploids gathered their wits and nodded, crossing the threshold cautiously. Although they expected it, the scenes inside was just too gruesome. The twenty-strong Pantheon guard that had obviously been laying a trap for them had been reduced to morbid scrap, painting most of room red. One of the blue droids had somehow been torn to two, a second was half-way through a supposedly reinforced wall, while yet another was nailed on the ceiling by what seemed to be the bloody, metallic spine of a fourth one.

"He is not using any weapons," observed Bolthor, trying to remain calm.

Michael managed to reply to that. "He doesn't seem to need any."

Morvex shook his head, deciding to move on and lead the rest of the team. "Remind me to never piss him off," he muttered as they navigated through the wreckage. "Remind me often."

Bianka gulped, looking positively sick. "After this mission, I don't think any of us will forget."

The black-armored warrior sighed, pulling his wits together. "Anyway, I don't think following Zero's path will serve any purpose," he noted, picking a corridor away from the trail of artificial blood. "We can deal some real damage if we go along the base's perimeter.

None challenged that. They all admired the red hunter but they hardly wanted to be around during the rampage.

**-c-c-**

_Zero was having the time of his life and the only thing that bothered him was that he was not bothered at all._

His weapons forgotten, he ripped the club arm from a Pantheon guardian while throwing him behind him, then stabbed another with it, right through the red eye. The newly destroyed piece of machinery was subsequently used as a shield and a battering ram. Above him, Siri decided to stay out of phase all the time. Only when immaterial could she dodge the rain of components.

_It was revenge, pure and simple. Zero realized Siri had been right. He fought for the people he cared about, for their safety, their beliefs and their world. With Isis and Alouette missing and quite possibly dead, he couldn't find a reason to exercise restrain._

A Pantheon Fist tried to blindside him and land his mighty punch on what registered to his sensors as a weaker foe. What passed for disbelief filled its circuits when Zero caught it without even looking, his fingers digging through the ridiculously reinforced material. Never stopping, the crimson hunter proceeded to use the bulkier enemy as a bludgeon, smashing the lesser droids like so many eggs.

_And without restrain, without doubts of morality to cloud his mind or weaken his heart, Zero was unstoppable, a force of nature instead of an enemy. Even when the drones where replaced by sentient reploids, he didn't even flinch. Later, when the haze would clear, he knew he might feel guilt, but in the here and now there was nothing but glee._

The reploid guards, a mixed force of Jin'en and Zan'ei, Fefnir's and Phantom's armies respectively, had been warned about a possible assault. With a wall of mechaniloids before them, they had been feeling safe, perhaps a bit disappointed they wouldn't get to fight. When Zero reached their position, drenched in mechanical fluids, they were at first eager to engage. Their opinion started to change when none of their initial volleys of shots connected. By that time it was already too late. Zero was upon them.

_And with glee his body sang to him, recalling memories of forgotten battlefields, of torn enemies, of slaughtered allies waiting to be avenged. He still needed a lot of time, perhaps decades to recall all of his old life, but the battles were there, raw and vivid and educational. The more he fought the more he recalled and the more he recalled, the fiercer he fought, falling in a vicious circle that would only break with victory or death._

"What is he?" demanded one of the Jin'en, watching in disbelief as one of his comrades had his head ripped off his shoulders. It took him a second to realize he was the next one in Zero's line of devastation and the next thing he knew was the demon's fingers digging though armor, skin and bone and extracting his power core with the same ease one unplugs an appliance. He fell to the floor, still aware as his core went flying and detonated nearby, finding oblivion only when Zero's foot crushed his skull.

_Yet death and fate, cruel mistresses as they were, favored him today, devouring his enemies like grapes off the bowl. And blood rained and circuits burned and limbs shattered, as he fell upon them with giant might and mind holding clarity unique to itself. Rip a limb, stab a core, crush a head. Did they always die so easily? Did they always paint his world to match his armor?_

"Retreat, retreat! He cannot be fought!" The cry fell on empty ears, since everyone had already deduced that particular fact. Both Fefnir and Phantom would often stress the importance of close combat skills and demand a certain level of competency in that area. If nothing else, the soldiers could calculate their chances based on the fact they had yet to land a hit while Zero had yet to miss one.

_And the last of the silly bots fell as he knew they would, for none was better than him. And the battle ended as abruptly as it had started, but with a whimper instead of a bang. And the only remaining target was the tiny girl floating close. But before he could attack her, before he could rip her wings and bite her head off, he stopped. She was ally, friend, love. She was precious, a weakness, his weakness. She was strength and resolve and reminder. And the red mist lifted._

"Zero! Are you yourself again?" asked Siri urgently. She had anticipated the carnage, but this was too much for her. The smell of metallic death was fresh around her and she wanted to leave the room as fast as possible. "Follow me!" she ordered, flying to the next, clean and thankfully empty room.

The red hunter complied, dazed as he was. During the combat he had recovered many tiny pieces of memory and the whole situation was overwhelming. "Give me a moment," he requested, shaking his head to clear it. "What about Isis?"

The iridescent elf yelped, having forgotten to check. "She is here!" she replied excitedly after concentrating for a second. "She is alive and well, but we'll need to go closer to pinpoint her exact position," she added, hurrying ahead.

Zero merely nodded, blocking his elation at the news as surely as he would have blocked panic. "Morvex, do you copy?" he asked after activating his comm.

"_Loud and clear," _came the answer and he marveled at how the bulky-armored reploid could sound grouchy even when he didn't mean to.

"We seem to have ran out of enemies here. According to Ciel's and your intel, this was their main force. What about you?"

Morvex sighed through the comm. "_We met some resistance and we are banged up a bit. These Pantheon Fists pack a… well, a punch. It's all superficial crap, though. Nothing deliberating unless one is weak and worthless,"_ he replied and Zero knew he had been glaring at his teammates during that. "_We have already secured a dozen storage rooms, all filled with cutting edge tech. This mission won't be a waste after all."_

Before Zero could even begin to feel angry, Morvex groaned as someone physically shoved him. At the same time, he was also shoved off the comm line. _"Don't mind him, Zero,"_ came Bianka's voice while an argument between Morvex and Bolthor could be heard in the background. _"You know how he is. More importantly, we have reached the train line. There is a heavily armored train here and they seem like they are about to depart. I don't think we can stop it in time."_

Zero frowned a bit, using his comm to assess the other team's position. To his disbelief, they were almost directly above him. "Zero! Isis is being moved!" informed him Siri urgently.

"_Zero! The train has started moving_!" came Bianka's voice at the same time.

It was painfully easy to put two and two together. "Shit," he swore, his eyes scanning the room. Not losing a second, he dashed to the next chamber, grateful to see a hatch leading up through the ceiling. Ignoring the attached ladder, he leaped and wall-kicked through said hatch, severing its lock with his saber at the same time.

The train above him almost took his head off. As it was, the moving wagons above him clipped him painfully, bashing his helmet against the hatch's frame. Unable to afford disorientation, he ground his teeth, grabbing at the bottom of the next and incidentally last wagon, then lifting himself to avoid touching the ground.

"_The train left!"_ warned Bianka, prompting him to roll his eyes.

"I am aware," he spat. Still clinging underneath the wagon, he slowly tried to find appropriate handholds to its edge.

"_Zero! What's happening? You signal is leaving the base rapidly."_ This time it was Ciel's voice, sounding very concerned as always, perhaps even more than usual. Alouette's kidnapping had affected her more than anyone knew, he realized.

The red hunter sighed, then decided to offer her a sliver of hope. "The train left carrying Isis. Fortunately, I managed to get on board," he explained. "Although it's technically **under** board," he muttered to himself. "I'll try to stop the train," he added louder.

Ciel sighed. "Be careful, Zero. I estimate you have ten minutes before you reach Neo-Arcadia's sphere of influence. You need to get out before then."

"Roger and out," he responded. Finally reaching the end of the train, he carefully climbed up properly. This last wagon lacked walls, holding a collection of large crates instead.

He almost jumped when Siri crashed on him. "Zero! I almost didn't make it!" she uttered amidst gasps. She had tried to outfly the speeding train and it had cost her.

The red hunter picked her up gently, placing her on his shoulder and letting her cling on his collar to avoid being blown away. The train had just reached its max speed and even he was having trouble maintaining his footing. "Isis seems to be kept in the engine wagon, the first one", noted Siri with a hint of dread.

Since the rail was curving a bit, Zero was able to regard the ten wagons between his position and his goal, all filled with very alert security systems and mechaniloids. "At least I won't get bored," he muttered.

**-c-c-**

Another chapter down. This one only had action at its end, although it turned out pretty morbid. I tried to enhance the magnitude of that part and I'm not sure if it was effective.

I'm confident the Pantheon core will be done with faster than my other boss battles. Zero still needs to find and save Alouette, after all. I would have liked to include a bit more Elpizo, something I'll probably do in the next chapter.

I also want to thank all my reviewers for their continued support.


	33. Burning Luna

**Chapter 33: Burning Luna**

**-c-c-**

Ciel was once again pacing in her command center, her eyes futilely running from screen to screen. The operators monitoring them were used to such a behavior from their worrywart leader, yet even they could tell Ciel was far more edgy than the norm. She had mildly reprimanded one of them when he had made a mistake that froze his system for half a minute. For Ciel, that was the equivalent of being spitting mad. The young scientist was legendary for her patience and tolerance.

"_Commander Ciel, do you read me?" _came a voice from her own station. The others blinked as Ciel rushed to her chair almost as fast as Zero could have.

"Elisa! Status report, please!" The reploids in the room tried to hide their bewilderment. Under usual circumstances, Ciel would first ask about the other's wellbeing.

On the other side of the line, Elisa of the fourth Branch smirked. _"We have overwhelmed the frontal guard and we are occupying the place bit by bit. No casualties and only minor injuries. It seems the underground team did all the work for us, as I knew they would." _

Ciel thought she heard grumbling in the background after that. "Any clues about the prisoners?" she asked, valiantly trying to keep her voice professional.

_"Sorry, commander. We have found nothing. Anyway, we have seen some of the other team's work in the base's outer ring and we are about to reach the core part. I think… Oh my GOD!"_

"Elisa? What's wrong?" demanded Ciel urgently.

_"It's… I think we have reached the main slaught… I mean battlefield. It's pretty gruesome", understated the other, sounding very sick. "The bodies are knee deep."_

Ciel gulped at that. She remembered how ruthless Zero had been when she had first recovered him. He had mellowed a bit since then, building a personality for himself, but he was still the same reploid that had shielded her with his own body and had skewered enemies with their own body parts. It was then she realized just how furious Zero had been. Alouette had excitedly told her she and the red warrior had talked a lot, but only then did the realization sink in, that the tiny reploid's strong fondness might go both ways.

"Keep looking, Elisa, and be sure to secure as much space as you can. As soon as you take over the base's command, we can start transing things." Ciel did her best to avoid saying 'steal' although that was exactly what the Resistance was doing. No matter how hypocritical she knew it was, a part of her would always consider Neo-Arcadia her home. "Ciel out!"

The young scientist resumed her pacing, not in the least placated. She hated herself for it, but she fervently wished Zero had located Alouette first instead of Isis. "Where are you?" she whispered. As a little girl, she had faced her parent's death bravely, never shedding a tear. She wasn't sure she could stay that strong should her adopted daughter share the same fate.

**-c-c-**

The dog mechaniloid sniffed the air carefully. It was aware there was prey to be found in the area, but the wind blowing through the urban ruins was messing with its perception. It waited until the air currents subsided a bit, then tried again. This time it got a clear location, its head snapping upwards. It had no time to dodge as a very large slab of masonry fell on it, heavy enough to keep it pinned.

Alouette hopped down from a semi-ruined first floor, clapping her hands to clean them. Even with her true strength, it had been a feat to drop the already loose wall fragment. "Sorry, Mr. dog", she apologized as the semi-crashed mechaniloid futilely tried to free itself and snap at her. "But it's either you or me", she added a bit grimly.

Sighing in relief, she continued east. Her destination was visible by now, a large fortified building complex that seemed to be a bit more intact than the rest of the city. The upper part of the high administrator tower had collapsed, but the lower levels, hole-ridden as they were, were still structurally safe. To reach the relatively defensible shelter, however, she would have to pass through a ring of open space that used to be a grass field. Said ring, meant for both defense and beautification, would leave her vulnerable and exposed for at least five minutes.

"Nothing to it but try and brave it", she muttered, giving a few test swings to a sturdy metal bar she had recovered earlier. It was no beam saber, but she and Zero had trained with similar metal bars and she had grown quite effective with it.

Alouette then removed her pink dress, revealing the plain black bodysuit she was wearing underneath. She had been very embarrassed when Zero suggested that idea, but she had later seen its wisdom and had discretely modified a discarded bodysuit, always wearing it underneath her normal clothes. Its quality was questionable, of course, but it was still a measure of protection and much more suitable to fight in than her usual clothes. The color was also favorable. While pink was her favorite, she understood the futility of trying to stay unseen when thus colored.

She also tied her hair back, similarly to Zero's practice, to keep it out of her way. While she lacked a mirror, she mused Ciel would have been hard pressed to recognize her, had she been present. Despite the gravity of her situation, she smiled a bit. If Phantom expected her to curl on the ground and cry, then his info was outdated.

**-c-c-**

Zero plowed through the train's security systems and guards like a cannonball through a wet paper bag. This time he did not enter a trance, although he found his overall performance had increased noticeably. Pantheons and simpler mechaniloids fell to his blade easier than ever, most never realizing he was even there. Even the stationary turrets, quite more formidable than mobile defenses, never managed to lock-on on him properly.

He was on the fifth wagon, halfway there, when it happened "Zero! Duck!" came Siri's warning and he did so, dropping flat on the train's roof. A Pantheon hunter further ahead did not and was cleaved in two as the train entered a low tunnel. Zero covered his face to protect himself from the salvo of pantheon parts, then eyed Siri, still prone.

"Thanks for the save, I almost missed it."

The iridescent cyber-elf nodded as much as she could from her perch on his collar. "I think it's time to take the show inside", she commented casually, yelping as Zero rolled abruptly, avoiding a device protruding from the tunnel's ceiling.

"A novel idea", he replied a bit sarcastically. Not wasting any more time, he wielded his Shield Boomerang as a dagger, igniting only one of the blades and stabbing at the metal below him. The material was sturdy, a necessity for such a fast train, but hardly military grade. Opening a hole despite his awkward position, he charged his buster for good measure, then hopped in.

**-c-c-**

Elpizo sighed in relief as he and his five-men attachment entered a room not filled with gruesomely killed bodies. Since the place seemed mostly deserted, Elisa had decided to divide her soldiers to cover more space.

"Sir, this must be the command center", commented the team's technician, not waiting for a response before rushing to a terminal.

The pink-clad reploid frowned a bit at that, debating whether to chastise him. There was a thin line between initiative and insubordination. In the end, he decided to let his soldier be. Elisa had told him many times that while discipline was important, morale was even more so. Perhaps a poignant suggestion after the mission was over.

"Commander, there is a side-chamber here", informed another soldier, already opening the door in question. He cried in pain, however, when an energy shot nailed him on the shoulder, blowing a hole that almost severed his arm.

Elpizo reacted fast before anyone else could move, drawing his rapier and blocking a second shot that would have beheaded another soldier. Mentally reaching to his ever-present baby elf, he drew a bit more power, sighing in satisfaction as energy filled his body. Dashing through the door, he blocked a third shot, reflecting it back to its source. The figure holding what seemed like an oversized energy rifle yelped, dropping his weapon before it could explode and rapidly drawing a sidearm.

Elpizo was faster, however. Moving with augmented speed, he stabbed through the figure's weapon, his pointy blade piercing the other's hand and coming to rest inside his ribcage. A quick upwards movement bisected Elpizo's enemy, his remains falling to the floor. Only then did the pink-clad reploid realize the kill had been way too easy. Elpizo lost a bit of his color as he gazed at the very human adversary he had just disposed of. Up until that point, he had never thought joining the Resistance would make him a human killer. For some reason, it was different than killing another reploid.

"Are you okay, commander?" asked one of his troops, not really aware of Elpizo's thoughts, although he did avoid looking at the corpse before them.

Elpizo blinked, then nodded. "Of course I'm fine soldier. The enemy's weapon never came close to hitting me", he replied. It didn't matter, he said to himself. Human or reploid it didn't matter. Before escaping Neo-Arcadia, he had been very fond of the fortress city, very fond of its authority and structure. Out here, however, he was free from all that, free to carve his own path. Neo-Arcadia had betrayed him, had rewarded his dedication with persecution. He would show them, he decided. Humans or reploids, those that supported Neo-Arcadia would fall. "Now, let's see if our technician managed to take over the place's transerver", he finished, a small smile on his lips.

**-c-c-**

Alouette hopped away from the ground as the canine mechaniloid leaped at her, teeth bared. Swinging before she even touched the ground, she whacked her enemy on the snout, hard enough to throw it back several meters. The dog mechaniloid yelped a bit, returning to its feet and ferally growling at her.

"I don't want a puppy for my birthday anymore", she muttered a bit sulkily as she prepared to defend against another attack. The rogue mechaniloid had reached her while she was half-way to the old Maverick Hunter base. Since it was faster than her, she had had no choice but to stop running and try to drive it away, preferably before its friends joined it.

The dog lunged again, jaws wide open, and this time she jabbed forward, driving her metal bar through its mouth. Her counter caused some internal damage and it tried to backpedal, but she would have none of that. Pulling the dog's head to the side with her lodged weapon, she kicked at its now exposed neck, careful to remember everything Zero had taught her. A dry crunch signified the mechaniloid's neck was broken, rendering it harmless unless it managed to repair itself.

Alouette retrieved her weapon, gazing at her victim a bit guiltily before scanning the area around her. Her eyes went wide and she turned tail, running as fast as she could towards her destination. Three more, similar mechaniloids were heading at her fast.

**-c-c-**

"At least nobody can whine this is merely a rescue mission", muttered Siri dryly. They never stopped to check the crates as Zero dashed by them, but the labels were pretty descriptive. There was ten times as much war material on board than the sum of the Resistance's resources. "If there is half as much back at the station, we won't have enough space to store it."

Zero sighed as he dodged a spike roller mechaniloid. "I don't give a byte about their whining", he replied gruffly, as the ruins of the mechaniloid fell around him. "As soon as I gut this train, they might as well take it whole. I'll be busy besieging Neo-Arcadia if Isis has no clue about Alouette."

Siri sighed. "I know she means a lot to you, Zero. You've taught her a lot. You usually wouldn't bother taking an apprentice."

The red hunter raised a brow at her peculiar choice of words, but decided to ignore it. He could tell there was something Siri was hiding and he knew there was no way to make her reveal it. Earlier attempts had only led to hasty denials. "There aren't many I would bother with", he agreed. "When she asked for help, though, I saw something more there, something I couldn't see in anyone else." The doors to the next train compartment were reduced to stripes as he talked.

"A lost memory, perhaps?" guessed the cyber-elf.

Zero nodded as the heads of a dozen Pantheons rolled to the ground. "Like déjà vu", he confirmed. "I'm not completely certain, but I think I had seen that same spark in X's eyes." He paused at that, stopping to really gaze at one of the Pantheons.

"I'm still not convinced the one behind all this mess is really X", she offered, quite a bit solemnly.

Zero sighed, resuming his rampage. Four defense turrets were permanently deactivated as he passed. "It doesn't matter, at least for now. I have little memory of X and this situation might be unlike him, but people can change a lot in a century."

"They sure can", agreed the muliticolored elf numbly, her aura dying down to a meek light.

"Last wagon before the engine", declared Zero, as they found themselves back outdoors. Said last wagon lacked a roof, housing large containers that wouldn't have fitted through train doors.

'**Deflect!'**, Zero didn't allow himself to even think, his blade blurring forth and meeting a bolt of energy that would have passed him by. His eyes snapped behind him and most of his face's color fled. Had he not stopped it, the shot would have hit an ammunition crate with devastating results. **'I must say, squire, I sometimes feel like a nanny. Keep aware, damn it!'**

"Point taken", muttered the crimson hunter under his breath, turning his eyes to the sky. What seemed like a score of airborne Pantheons were flying along the train, busters trained at him. "If all these start firing at once, we'll be in trouble", he pointed out louder.

Siri had also noticed the nature of the wagon's load and her light was flashing erratically. "I'll go and try to knock them down", she offered.

Zero lodged the Shield Boomerang on his forearm just in time to deflect a salvo of shots, all of which could have blown then both sky high. "Will you be okay? We are going too fast", he inquired worried as he retrieved his buster with his other hand. Shooting them down would be a challenge, since they were far enough to easily dodge.

Siri beamed happily at him. "I'll stay immaterial. As long as I'm not solid, air resistance means nothing. And I'll take care to dodge your shots, too, so don't hold back because of me."

Zero nodded as his shield reflected another score of bolts. One of them managed to hit a Pantheon that didn't get out of the way in time, causing a bit of damage. The voice in his head mentally huffed. **'A laser weapon would have been useful right about now.'**

"Or a jetpack", he replied aloud. "At least we have time."

The other occupant of his head sighed. **'I wouldn't be that sure, kid. These flying toy troops weren't posted on the train. I believe we are fast approaching Neo-Arcadia.'**

Despite their predicament, a smirk touched Zero's lips. "Where would the fun be otherwise?" The other did not respond, but the scarlet warrior could tell they shared the notion.

**-c-c-**

Alouette cried in pain as strong jaws clamped around her ankle. Before the robot dog could tighten its grip, she used her metal bar like a spear. The first hit cracked its skull, dazing it enough to keep her foot attached while the second went all the way through, crashing its identity core. Holding back tears, she kicked it away, relief filling her when she made sure the damage was superficial.

"Leave now or you'll get the same!" she declared, far braver than she felt. Her last adversary, yet another canine mechaniloid, hesitated at that, though she wasn't sure whether it understood her, or rather understood her voice's tone.

Taking a chance, she puffed her chest out in an attempt to look larger, and waved her weapon menacingly. "Leave!" she ordered at the top of her voice.

The mechaniloid snarled again, then retreated. She was sure it would return later, perhaps with company, but for now she was safe. The wall behind her was all that prevented her from collapsing, half in relief, half in exhaustion. She had had to sprint the last half of the way, reaching the old Hunter base just in time to prevent her adversaries from flanking her. The first mechaniloid had gone down easily, but the second had been trickier.

She allowed her eyes to close for a moment and when she opened them again, a tiny smile decorated her face. "One more victory, Zero. I can see why you like this so much", she breathed. She self-consciously touched her ankle, noting how the fortified bodysuit had absorbed most damage despite its slenderness and low quality. With her nanites already at work, she barely hurt anymore.

Being relatively safe, she took the time to think. Her first objective was to find a better weapon. A metal bar was an even match against small enemies, but anything more dangerous than a dog would be trouble. She just hoped there were working leftover weapons to be found inside the complex.

Her second order of business was a beacon. Even if Ciel and Zero could pinpoint her general location, the ruined city was vast. Since enemies were already pouring in, she needed a way to also summon friends.

"Mission start!" she declared unnecessarily, giggling at how stupid it sounded. Few knew this, but Ciel loved that phrase, often mumbling it under her breath when it applied in order to psyche herself up. Her mind once again went to Zero and Ciel and she sobered up. "I won't let you down."

**-c-c-**

The Shield Boomerang screeched through the air, destroying another enemy in mid-spin. Zero mentally inputted a different set of coordinates through the module in his forearm and the lethal disk altered its angle once more. "Very very handy, Cerveau", he acknowledged. Most reploids wouldn't have been able to calculate said coordinates in real time, but Zero, using abilities his systems had somehow picked up from Maha Ganeshariff, found it fairly easy and convenient. He blocked one last shot with his saber, nodding as the last of the airborne Pantheons developed a severe dislike of being split in half.

Siri, that had short-circuited her share of mechaniloids, landed on his shoulder feeling very drained. Staying out of phase was no chore, but fully returning to the material world after a long absence was especially energy-consuming.

"You okay?" he asked laconically.

"I will be", she panted a bit faintly. "The locomotive is shielded. I can't scout ahead", she added apologetically, having recovered a bit.

Zero nodded to himself. "You've done enough, Siri. You should stay behind now."

The iridescent cyber-elf shook her head. "I won't get in the way. I might even try and free Isis while you fight whatever's in there."

The red hunter frowned a bit, but resigned. "Don't overdo it", he ordered. "That's my job", he added almost silently.

The doors parted as they approached, sealing themselves shut almost at once. At first they weren't sure what they were looking at. A large sphere held in place by rails and cogs dominated the space inside the locomotive. Zero tried to use infrared vision, regretting it at once as the Core blinded him. The whole device was as hot as possible without losing integrity.

Lodged on the sphere just above what seemed like a flamethrower muzzle was the head and upper body of a Pantheon, with only the top of its head protruding, and shielded by a forcefield.

"Target verified. Proceeding with target elimination", droned the droid, retreating a bit inside its sphere.

Zero rolled his eyes. "Good to know they employ artificial stupidity", he muttered, preparing his saber.

**-c-c-**

Alouette grunted as she pulled at a pile of tires thrice her size and tied together with chains. She had located the base's hangar easily enough and while no vehicle there would ever move again, she had seen a chance to set up a crude signal. While hover technology was good for speed and rough terrain, wheels were still superior when it came to endurance. Hover engines consumed energy way too fast to give their vehicles enough range. Collecting the tires had been easy. There were many of them discarded all over the place. Hauling all of them was a bit more challenging.

"One step at the time, girl", she muttered to herself. "You still have the stairs."

The plan was to bring the pile as high as possible, then light it up. She had heard enough stories from Andrew to know what a thick smoke burning tires produced.

The stairs proved to be a pickle. The tire pile was not too heavy, at least for her reploid strength, but it was proving to be very cumbersome and unwieldy. In the end she preserved however, reaching what used to be the twentieth main tower floor. Alouette gulped at the sight. There were obvious signs of combat and every floor above the next had collapsed to the side, perhaps by artillery fire. She cringed and looked away when she spotted the remains of what used to be reploids, their non-biodegradable components rusting away through the centuries.

Deciding it was too risky to go higher and trying very hard to ignore her morbid surroundings, she set up her tire pile, producing a mess of cloth and a lighter she had also discovered in the hangar. The cloth was soaked with old grease and would burn nicely, hopefully setting fire to the tires themselves.

In the end, it took her four tries to start an adequate fire. Almost at once, she jumped back, holding her nose. "Grandpa Andrew never mentioned how nasty they'd smell", she complained to no one in particular.

Shaking her head, she eyed the reploid remains again, pushing back her aversion and searching for a weapon. Most of them had sported weapons grafted to their bodies and the few detached rifles were broken. In the end, she managed to recover a sidearm, which had been protected by a thick holster. The pistol was a lot lighter than Zero's buster and she tried it hesitantly, firing a shot to test its power cells. Despite expecting the worse, the tiny weapon proved to be of fair quality, letting a bolt of energy that punched a hole through one of the walls.

She wrinkled her nose at that. "Very weak", she decided, looking for something better but finding none. There was always the chance it had a charge function, but she decided not to risk it. Its cells might not have survived such a drain.

The smoke was getting a bit more oppressive and she decided to return to the ground floor. No sense in making herself a target for airborne mechaniloids. As soon as she left the stairs and entered what used to be the building's lobby, however, she knew there was something wrong. Her sensors signified nothing, but another deeper feeling of wrongness she couldn't explain filled her mind.

Fingering her newly acquired weapon, she dared another step, only for her body to leap backwards by instinct, to avoid a very fast attack. Her reflexes took over and she leveled her pistol, firing a shot right on target and destroying the dog mechaniloid. Trying very hard to keep her wits despite the ensuing small explosion, she spotted a second, then a third similar enemy. Five shots later, she lowered her weapon, trying to keep from shaking. There was no time for her to calm down, though, because a far more dangerous foe entered the chamber. A large wolf mechaniloid, taller than she was and sporting vicious teeth and claws, had entered the room.

The pack leader was very angry so many of its servants had been killed.

**-c-c-**

Zero dodged to the side as a plum of fire erupted from the Core's flamethrower. The tongue of flames followed him, forcing him to retreat. Normal fire would have been little more than an inconvenience, but he wasn't about to try his luck and his armor against flames that glowed a shearing white.

"No melee, then", he decided, charging his buster instead. Deciding to try his luck, he equipped the thunder chip, his forehead gem changing to yellow. When the powers flowing from his body ceased to be drained by his weapon, he released the charge, noting is satisfaction that the Pantheon inside the Core writhed in convulsions.

The flames stopped, but Zero felt dread instead of relief when a familiar charging sound registered in his ears. Expecting the worst, he ran to the back of the wagon, leaping on the wall for good measure. In a sudden burst of activity, the Core moved forward on its rails, then discharged a stream of fire that licked the metal below him. Constantly kicking upwards to maintain his altitude, he charged his saber while ignoring the heat that crept up the metal wall.

Zero knew the Pantheon Core wouldn't be able to maintain such performance for long. True enough, the muzzle left a last, exaggerated burst, then stopped. Capitalizing on his chance, the crimson warrior leaped off the wall, delivering a charged saber smash right through the flamethrower's length. The weapon was obviously deactivated, tiny and repeated explosions signifying its fuel had ignited and was barely being contained.

"Any other tricks up your… throat?" joked Zero, regretting it at once as the floor trembled. He only had a second to dodge as powerful hydraulics forced the metal tiles he had been standing on upwards. To make things worse, the ceiling opened just above the inverse press plate, revealing glowing spikes that were superheated just below their melting point.

Zero hardly needed to be told what an encounter with them would cause.

"Not a one-trick drone then?" he mocked, his irony lost on the droid. Dodging a rapid succession of rising floor segments, he decided he had had enough. Firing his buster proved to be ineffective, since the Pantheon Core had apparently wised up, using more upraised tiles to block the shots. Changing tactics, he charged his Shield Boomerang instead, the spinning dual blade becoming saturated with electricity.

Just as all the tiles in the room started moving upwards, he sent it flying and watched as it moved around any obstacles to slice through sphere, forcefield and droid head alike.

Zero sighed, half in relief, half in exasperation. He was prone on the raised floor, a burning spike mere centimeters from his face. He and the elf didn't even notice as the train slowed down, gradually coming to a halt.

"Z…Zero! Are you okay?" asked Siri, ver stunned by the close call.

"Not a scratch on me", he replied, still eyeing the spike as the floor slowly returned to its original position. "Although I might have developed a tan under the armor", he added with a straight face.

Siri let a deep sigh, very relieved. "I was so worried", she exclaimed. "Never do that again!"

Before he could respond, another voice was heard. "That's moving and all, but could you please get me out?" demanded more than asked Isis' voice, quite a bit muffled.

Zero smirked a bit, slashing at the Core's remains. Isis' cage, elf-proof and fireproof, was almost in its center. The mechaniloid had been using her as a catalyst to produce its fire. "Figures", muttered the red warrior.

"What took you so long?" she inquired irritably. Instead of deigning that with an answer, Siri tackled her in midair, hugging her incessantly. "Data…compressing… breath… lost", gasped the white pixie.

"Are you okay, Isis?" questioned her friend, disregarding the fact she was suffocating her.

"I will be", she responded a bit wearily. She tried not to show it, but she was exhausted, her aura faint and her eyelids drooping.

Zero held his palm open and she nearly collapsed on it. Apparently, the Core's drain had been very intense. "Don't sleep yet", he ordered, although his voice was gentle. "Alouette?"

That snapped the cyber-elf out of her sleepy state. "I know what they did", she explained urgently. As Isis described what she had overheard from the soldiers about Phantom's game, Zero felt his temper rising again. "The problem is, I didn't hear in which Megacity ruins she was being dropped", she finished, just before sleep overpowered her will.

Zero nodded stonily. "Transport for three", he requested, and Ciel heard him at once, passing the order to the transerver room.

**-c-c-**

Elisa and Morvex opened opposite doors of the same room at the same time, freezing at each other's sudden appearance. The Fourth Branch commander gulped at the infernal-looking black armor of the other and Morvex, smirking behind his mask, decided to talk before she remembered of her rifle.

"I'm Morvex, Resistance Core, Zero team", he greeted. In reality, no one had ever mentioned a 'Zero team' before, but the medieval looking reploid decided the name would carry some weight.

As the rest of 'Zero team' tried not to laugh at his quick thinking, Elisa regained her composure. "Elisa, Fourth Branch, commander", she responded, still a bit weary. Elpizo, who had rejoined her some time earlier, tried to spot the legendary warrior as did everyone else. "Is commander Zero present?"

Morvex chuckled a bit, his mask changing it to quite morbid a sound. "Commander Zero is busy stopping the train that left a while ago. We couldn't jump on in time, so we're just doing some cleaning. We have secured half of the complex." Elisa's eyes widened a bit at that. Jumping on heavily armored trains alone was just the staff of legends Elpizo had dismissed earlier that day.

Said pink-clad reploid looked at her a bit sheepish. "He might still ask for help", he tried.

As on cue, Morvex's comm beeped and he listened intently for a while. Colbor's team entered from a third door, but he was familiar with both other teams and didn't bat an eyelash at their presence.

"Zero did it", declared Morvex, trying not to sound impressed. "He stopped the train, rescued one hostage and has sent us a set of coordinated to trans what we can from the train's load, using this base's server, of course. The power bill goes to Neo-Arcadia!"

Everyone cheered at that and even Elpizo smiled, despite the envy he felt. He carefully appeased the so-called 'Zero team', the white and purple armored ninja, the gray-armored behemoth, the black armored death knight and a very inconspicuous sniper whose plain features were a glaring antithesis to the rest. The red hunter had unwittily surrounded himself with powerful individuals and compared to them, the soldiers under Elpizo seemed pitiful.

Instead of being discouraged, Elpizo vowed to himself he one day would match and surpass that.

**-c-c-**

"Zero? What..?" tried Ciel as soon as the red hunter dashed in the room.

He ignored her, rushing to the nearest operator. "Input the coordinates I give you", he barked and the poor reploid nodded in accord, half excited a legend was giving him orders, half dreading the dangerous gleam in his eyes. After a long list of coordinate sets, during which he occasionally stopped as if to converse with himself, the turned to Ciel. "Do your thing with the N.A. satellites. Scan a radius of fifty clicks around these points. Search for any unexplained T-nets or energy beacons."

None in the chamber, not even Ciel, dared to argue or even talk. In record time, networks were hacked and data crunched. "I have it!" exclaimed Ciel excitedly. "Both of them covering a single area. It's in Megacity 3. This place will be crawling with mechaniloids."

"Prepare the server. Also contact Morvex and give him the co-ords I came from. They can raid the train if they want to."

Ciel ran behind him, valiantly trying to match his long strides. "What is at this place?" she asked a bit shakily, dreading the answer.

"They took her there", he replied and she gasped, stopping on her tracks. Hand over her heart, she tried not to think about all the things that could get to her surrogate daughter faster than Zero. It worked for about twenty milliseconds.

**-c-c-**

Alouette gulped as the wolf mechaniloid stomped its paw, causing the room to vibrate. Leveling her pistol, she pressed the trigger, only for her large yet agile enemy to dodge to the side. Not giving her another moment, it leaped at her, sharp claws poised to rip her apart. She also hoped to the side, retaliating by bringing her metal bar down on its head as hard as she could. The wolf tilted its head, catching the blow on a shoulder instead and snarling at her.

One paw snapped forward, batting at her weapon, and she had to use her full might to keep both her metal bar and her balance. The mechaniloid took the opening, trying to bite her, but she used her pistol hand to whip it on the snout. It retreated, giving her a chance to bring her metal bar back in line and in guarding position.

"You won't get me so easily!" she shouted, trying the same tactic with last time. The wolf barked at her in response and she knew it wouldn't be intimidated so easily. A clawed paw flew at her and she only partially avoided it, metal razors cutting reddish lines on her arm through her undersuit.

Alouette winced and tried to stifle a cry of pain. Zero had warned her to avoid showing weakness unless she was feigning it. Trying to ignore the blood, she parried another swipe with her bar, losing a sob when its power almost shoved her off her feet, reflecting painful on her previous injury. Keeping her wits around her, she fired her pistol again, this time hitting the lupine robot on one of its hint legs.

It yelped and leaped back, regarding her wearily and looking for another opening. She tried to level another shot, then her eyes went wide in fear. The wolf's chest had opened, revealing a compartment holding an already charging energy cannon. She leaped upwards as far as she could, reaching the ceiling and tangling her forearms in an old lighting fixture to avoid forsaking her two weapons. A millisecond later, a stream of energy passed beneath her, completely obliterating the wall behind her.

She looked down fearfully, not believing for a second she was safe. If she could reach such height, the mechaniloid could probably surpass it. The wolf snarled at her again, then predictably leaped. Anticipating the attack, she let go at the last moment, falling right on her enemy's back. Returning her pistol to its holster, strapped on her belt, she caught the metal bat with both hands, bringing it around its head and trying to break its neck.

The wolfloid whined at that, first trying to bite her weapon and, when that failed, to shake her off. The reploid girl held fast and for a moment she though she had won since creaking was already coming from her foe's neck. Then the mechaniloid decided to roll on its back and their roles reversed. At first its sudden, superior weight caused her to gasp and forfeit her hold, then she found herself pinned down, the wolf's face right before her own.

She tried to bat it away, but a claw swipe severed her metal bar in two. Before it could bite her neck, however, she thrust her hand forward, lodging what remained of her weapon between its jaws and holding them open. As it tried to shut its mouth, the bar's jagged ends dug painfully through both of its jaws. The pain caused it to leap away and Alouette returned to her feet, shaking all the while like a leaf through a storm.

Shoving her terror to the deepest pits of her mind and using her memories of Zero to gather resolve, she retrieved her pistol and fired as fast as she could. The preoccupied wolf mechaniloid was still trying to spit the remains of her other weapon and couldn't actively dodge, although its wild convulsions did make aiming harder.

The reploid girl almost laughed aloud at the absurdity of the scene. A shot hit it in the eye, blinding one of its optics, while another collided with its neck, peeling away part of the armor and revealing the vulnerable circuitry underneath. She had to dodge once more as the lupine's cannon fired again and she ended up landing on her hurt arm. Luck or reflex caused her to fire one more time, her energy bolt hitting the wolf's cannon muzzle and short-circuiting the whole thing.

The wolfloid finally managed to regain use of its mouth, glaring at her with its one good eye, artificial blood running from its mouth, other eye and neck. She was only a little better. Her newly-repaired ankle had been twisted painfully before it could mend completely, her right arm was bleeding profusely and hanging limply and she sported lots of bruises all over her body. Wiping her tears, she decided to take a gamble. The sound of a charge filled the air as her pistol started glowing.

A moment passed, then they both rushed at each other. She didn't even realize a desperate war cry left her mouth. The wolf's jaws bit hard at her midsection while her pistol released its charge right at the unarmored spot on its neck.

**-c-c-**

And with this tiny, lovable cliffy, chapter 33 ends! It's but my little April fool's gift!

Seriously, though, I had planned to stop here anyway. It just happened to be completed today. In the next chapter, Zero will be saving Alouette, provided she does need saving. This is dedicated to all those that forget child reploids are still reploids. Alouette has a distinct advantage compared to the chances of a human girl facing a real wolf. That said, I did base the wolfloid off a Worg, for those that know what that is.

We'll also get to see Copy X's joyful reaction to the news as well as Zero and Ciel trying to rout out any spies.

Until next time and be sure to check the new One-shot, 'Mistress Ciel', I wrote some days ago. It uses some elements of this story.


	34. Elusion's demise

**Chapter 34: Elusion's demise **

**-c-c-**

Zero appeared at the edge of Phantom's T-net, glaring at his surroundings and daring anything to attack him. The old megalopolis ruins seemingly went on forever and he had to once more resist panic. His words of advice to Ciel had been grand, but he was hardly any better under his stony exterior.

'**You seem to have bonded pretty tightly with the little one, huh? Not very wise.'**

Zero frowned at his inner voice's words. "I didn't hear you complaining while I was training her", he replied.

'**I never said I disapproved'**, riposted the voice. **'Just because I doubt the wisdom, doesn't mean I wouldn't have done the same.'**

"Any words of real advice, oh wise one?" responded the red hunter acidly.

The other mentally rolled his eyes. **'One thing. Instead of fretting and wasting time, find a high vantage point. Alouette is not a helpless girl, she is our apprentice.'**

The red legend sighed, took a deep breath and nodded. Thirty seconds and a spotted plum of smoke later, he was already dashing to the east at full speed, navigating in the urban environment faster than most could blink. Anything hostile in his way was rendered non-hostile very thoroughly.

**-c-c-**

Michael, the sniper, grunted as he lifted yet another crate of war material many times his weight. "I must confess I didn't expect we'd have to do so much manual labor", he commented. Despite the fact he sounded bored, his eyes were constantly scanning the chamber around them. Occupied or not, this was still an enemy bunker.

Morvex glared visibly at him, a feat to do through his mask-like helmet. As usual, the blackguard-themed reploid took exception at that, as he always did when weakness was hinted. Said ridge-armored warrior was busy hauling thrice as many crates.

Bolthor, also lifting three of the crates, chuckled at them. "At least your partners are sentient. You don't know what boredom is until you've worked next to mechaniloids."

Michael raised a brow at that. "I thought you were a mercenary before this whole Neo-Arcadian mess."

Bianka giggled as she zipped by. While she was only carrying one crate, she was moving three times as fast as the rest. Bolthor appeared embarrassed. "I never said all jobs were interesting. Mercenaries often do grunt work when there is nothing else to do."

The former Neo-Arcadian soldier also laughed, but soon sobered up. "At least you were free to do what you wanted. Up until recently I thought Neo-Arcadia was correct. I hadn't even suspected just how bad things have become. The fact I had been positioned in a remote base is not exactly an excuse."

Bolthor placed his crates on the transerver plate, stepping back as one of Elisa's soldiers operated the device. The Resistance Core was only getting a fraction of the supplies, which was still more weapons and material than they already possessed. The rest of the spoils were to be transported to Elisa's Fourth Branch, the only Resistance cell with enough space to hold them.

"We do not judge based on past mistakes, Mike. The Resistance was formed because of the oppression, not the other way. I appreciate what X has done for the world, but this complete change is fishy. I still remember the days before X left for the first time. The world was paradise back then and the only threats were from the wastelands", reminisced Bolthor, a bit wistfully.

Morvex said nothing, yet he couldn't help but be affected by the words. Unlike the others, he never talked about his past. "Perhaps it's time to do so", he muttered under his breath. He absolutely despised the notion, yet it was the only way to help the Resistance against the very real threat hanging above them all. He knew very well there was a spy that had helped kidnap the girl and the elf.

**-c-c-**

Zero tilted his head to the side just as a very weak blast passed him by. "Is that you Alouette?" he asked, scanning the ruined lobby.

"Zero?" came a tired yet hopeful voice from behind what remained of the reception counter.

The red hunter was beside her faster than wrapping would have brought him. He almost winced at her appearance. His eyes ignored the superficial scraps and bruises, focusing on the grievous wound at her belly. A human wouldn't have survived that, he concluded morbidly.

"What did that?" he demanded. Anything with such attack capabilities would be dangerous, meaning he might need to kill it with two hits instead of one.

The exhausted reploid girl nodded to the side and he looked, taking in the mangled remains of a beheaded wolf mechaniloid. Zero cursed under his breath, then focused back on her. "Status report?" he asked hesitantly. The amount of artificial blood was too much even for a wound like that. Reploid nanites were supposed to seal such injuries way faster.

Alouette tried to smile, her hand finding his own. Her voice came in normal volume this time, although it was obvious she was scared. "My energy core is untouched and working at 50 percent. The problem is, my nanite core is completely destroyed", she explained, glancing at her wound then quickly looking away. "I have shut down my pain receptors, but it's… it's very uncomfortable."

Civilian models, even custom ones like Alouette, didn't usually have a choice to turn off the pain receptors in a specific area. It was either all or nothing and some said that not feeling at all was worse than the pain. Since the mind expected a signal, complete absence could be exhausting by itself.

Zero resisted the urge to break something, preferably a city block. Without her nanite core to produce more repair nanomachines, she had no way to recover on her own, or even survive for long. The remaining nanites in her blood had barely managed to quench the bleeding. The red hunter cursed himself for neglecting to bring a first aid kit with him, for all the good it would do. It had been a combination of haste and futile hope, he decided. Naively, he had not really believed Alouette would have been so injured.

To his credit, he collected his wits very fast. "First, I'll tie your wound. You can't afford to lose any more of your fluids while I carry you out of the T-net."

Alouette sighed, holding his hand tighter. "No use. I won't survive the transport." The ghost of a smile touched her lips. "You would have, but not all of us are so well made." Before Zero could go on, she continued. "I've had some time to think, you know. You won't find the T-net generator in time, either. In fact, I bet there are more mechaniloid doggies waiting for you to leave. I'm all out of weapons, too", she added, indicating her pistol. Its barrel had almost completely melted and the power cell was empty.

"I'm not going to let you die!" snapped Zero, his temper finally oozing through.

Alouette closed her eyes a bit, then eyed him intently. "I'm sorry Zero. I wanted to return to you and Ciel, but in the end I wasn't strong enough."

Zero snorted at that. "Not strong enough? I don't think I could find ten people in the Resistance that would have survived in your place." While he talked, he was raking his mind for a solution.

She seemed stunned at that, then stuck her tongue out. "Are you just saying that, or did you keep it hidden to prevent me from getting cocky?"

"The second", he replied, regarding her curiously. "It's amazing how I'm more afraid than you seem to be", he noted. "How old are you really. You are acting more mature than ever."

The reploid girl closed her eyes for a while. "I'm eight, of course", she replied. Opening them again, she regarded him sadly and a bit longingly. "That's what I always tell anyone that asks. The truth is that while my body and my mind were made to be eight years old, I was in fact first activated forty-two seconds, two hours, eighty days and thirty three years ago."

Zero's eyes went wide at that and he regarded her incredulously. "Why? Why keep the façade? Why didn't you ask Ciel for a proper body? You might have been programmed to be eight, but reploids evolve beyond their programming."

Alouette looked away. "Many reasons. A part of me will always be a little girl and I love that part. Call it escapism if you want. Before I met Ciel, I had never contemplated the importance of our existence. You could say that meeting her was what taught me to grow up. Even if Ciel is technically younger than me, she is still older where it counts."

She sighed, then eyed him with determination. "And yet, she needs me to be a little girl. She comes to me when she needs peace. I have become her security blanket and as long as this war goes on, it should have stayed so. Yes, I often pray and wish I had an older body. So many things I cannot experience when I'm a kid. Still, Ciel's needs will always come first, will always outweigh my own. She is my mother, or perhaps my sister. And by dying I will fail her." After that she coughed a bit, a tiny trickle of blood running from the edge of her mouth. "As I have failed you."

The scarlet hunter shook his head, berating himself for stalling. "I'll try to move you, anyway. Even if there is a slight chance…"

Alouette nodded, then stopped him. "Before you do that, I want to whisper a secret to you", she requested. Zero raised a brow but complied, dismissing the fact her voice sounded more strained than before. He had no way to know she had reactivated her pain and feeling sensors.

As he bent down, she used the last of her strength to twist his head. Then she kissed him on the lips, lightly as a feather, as much as her injuries allowed her. He hadn't expected that, of course, but remembering her real age, he decided to humor her anyway. After a few seconds, she let him go. "One less regret", she explained faintly. If she had been in top shape, the slight flush on her face would have been the deepest red in the spectrum instead.

It was at that point, an epiphany came to Zero. He had resorted to scanning his own system in order to find a solution for their problem, even though he was aware their built was vastly different. It was then he recalled a very important fact about himself.

_He opened his eyes to the very familiar ceiling of the medical ward. A multitude of devices was connected to him, but he felt just fine, if a bit sore._

"_Welcome back to the land of the living", greeted a sardonic and somewhat bored voice. "It seems your dying ability is still notoriously abysmal, despite your better efforts."_

_Zero rolled his eyes. "Hello to you too, Lifesaver", he replied in a similar tone. The bulky medical reploid was tinkering with the insides of another patient on a nearby bed, although he always made sure to keep half an eye on the red hunter. "It seems your bedside manners keep degrading as years pass."_

_Lifesaver snorted while casually ripping out a burnt component from the unconscious reploid's innards. "Bedside manners are for patients. You never get to be a patient. Even when I need to put you back together, I have but to look away a couple minutes and you get fit as a fiddle. As a doctor, I'm consistently wavering between hugging you and strangling you."_

_Zero chuckled a bit. "Don't forget I usually try to patch myself up in the field, before I submit to your not-so-tender mercies. I'd go as far as to say I have a bit of a knack for it", he bragged._

_Lifesaver scoffed at that. "I'll admit you have a knack for keeping yourself and others alive. I'd go as far as saying you are something of a savant. However, having had to put the ones you 'heal' back together, I have to say your methods are as sloppy and atrocious as they come. You used Metool parts on this one! The only reason I don't have to deal with ' jigsaw Zero' every other day, is because of the three redundant nanite cores in your system. Count them, three! Each of them fully able to regenerate the others and more effective than anything we can produce."_

_Zero's visage darkened somewhat."I know, I know. Yet another potentially dangerous black box."_

_Lifesaver sighed, stopping his work and fully facing the red hunter. "Between the recent Eurasia mess and Gate's shenanigans I never got the chance to apologize", he half-muttered, quite soberly. "I was really out of line, throwing accusations during a world-wide crisis…"_

_The crimson warrior smirked. "As long as you realized it, it's no problem", he replied. "None of us was exactly sober and rational back then. No sleep, no recharge and the clock ticking… Stress proved to be far more dangerous than Sigma himself during that FUBAR."_

_The medical reploid seemed relieved, a small smile tugging at his lips as he resumed his work. "Right… Now get the hell out of my ward. I don't even need to check if you are okay." _

"I know what might work." Without explaining, Zero removed his armored vest, then willed away part of the black undersuit underneath. Alouette watched mesmerized as he ignited his Shield Boomerang as a simple dagger, concentrating to deactivate its resonance chip, then carefully plunged it in his own body.

Alouette gasped. "What are you doing?" she asked concerned, her own plight almost forgotten.

Zero smirked as he fearlessly opened his own innards and carefully removed a certain component. "You did say you needed a nanite core, didn't you? I just realized I have just enough medical knowledge to transplant one. You know how randomly memories come to me."

The injured girl's eyes went wide at that, even as her strength was rapidly reaching the point of being unable to keep her conscious. "But… but it's your part. How will you survi…ve?"

The darkness that followed failed to answer any of her questions.

**-c-c-**

Phantom barely ducked out of the way as an enormous bolt of energy raced by, striking at a pantheon instead and completely vaporizing it. "Master, please check your temper", he pleaded, still sounding respectful.

Copy X snarled, but decided to substitute random blasting with furious pacing. "A complete and utter failure! Very unlike you, guardian", he spat.

The other reploid inclined his head but did not respond.

The imperfect clone shook his head, hating the feeling of powerlessness, voice bordering on hysteria. "Both hostages rescued. An expensive train destroyed. A major base close to the enemy sacked. Tons of equipment and ordinance stolen! Even worse, we might have exposed our agent. And to add insult to injury, they moved everything with power from **our** energy grid. The lights even flickered for a second!"

Satisfied his master had finished his rant, Phantom let a rare sigh. "I fear we have severely underestimated Zero, master. I'm not sure how that stupid girl even survived long enough, but Zero managed to locate both of them in the span of a few hours.

Impotent rage slowly bled out of Copy X, replaced by a deep frown. "This leads back to our initial quandary. We have a powerful army but no definite target. After the latest failure, it is obvious lukewarm means are not enough." An ugly grin formed on his face. "The professor contacted me yesterday. His prototype siegeloid is finally ready. You **do** remember the specs of that thing, don't you?"

Phantom frowned but said nothing and Copy X noticed. "I know you don't trust him, but I'll take measures to ensure he is not betraying us. This Siegeloid is to be our army's spearhead."

The ninja reploid was caught off guard by that. "Army? Then you intend a major assault?"

The grin lingered on the other's face. "As I said, the time for subtlety is over. My plan is pretty straightforward, too. First a large T-net above the Resistance base's general location. I have some as yet untapped resources to deploy such a field. Then a pincer maneuver. The siegeloid, with minimal support, will approach from our direction, through old Arcadia's ruins, while the bulk of our forces, led by Fefnir, will attack from the desert."

With a mental nod, a holographic map appeared before him, projected by his quarters' special equipment. In the middle there was a large red circle labeled 'Resistance Core area'. The giant mechaniloid and Fefnir seemed to be approaching from opposite directions.

"Leviathan will stay behind, guarding the city. The area is especially dry, after all. As for you and Harpuia, your job will be to cut off any reinforcements they might try to draw in from those so-called 'Branches'."

Phantom nodded slowly. "What about Dr. Ciel, though? She could easily take control of the army's local Tac-Net, like she did during the shuttle operation."

Copy X regarded his thrall cautiously. The shadow guardian had recently started to show signs of his original persona, before the copy had altered his mind and brought him to heel. On the one hand, that meant his value as an advisor had increased. On the other, it might have been an indication of him slowly breaking free. Reploid brainwashing was primitive and unpredictable at best and while Copy X was still superior to his servant, he wasn't about to underestimate the threat Phantom could pose, should he fully regain himself.

He dismissed thoughts of reinforcing the compulsions he had planted, though. Truth be told, Copy X needed the guardian alive, to contain the other three, and as capable as possible. The reploid tyrant was nobody's fool and well aware he needed tactical advice.

Turning his focus to the subject at hand, Copy X contemplated Phantom's input. "It's not perfect", he decided at length, "but we could marginalize electronic warfare by keeping things quiet and not giving them a chance to prepare", he added thoughtfully.

Nodding to himself, he went on, sounding more confident. "You are to convey my orders orally and discretely. No indication about the upcoming attack is to be kept in any kind of archive or data storage, until the last possible moment. In fact, you are to downplay everything as some silly, medium-scale military exercise. It might take twice as long to organize it all, but when we do, the Resistance will be caught flatfooted!"

Phantom nodded, a slight smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth for a moment. "It is possible. However, we still don't know the base's exact location…"

Copy X glared at him. "Which is exactly why I keep you around. You are to use any resource in your possession to dwindle down the Resistance's position from 'somewhere in old Arcadia's ruins' to a set of coordinates. Those fools will learn what it means to oppose the most perfect state is history! To oppose Megaman X himself!"

The cackle that followed, however contrived, felt supremely liberating to him.

**-c-c-**

Ciel allowed her features into a semblance of a smile for the first time since the unfortunate end of Zero's picnic. After making sure Alouette was out of danger, she had allowed her exhausted body to sleep for as long as it needed to. Waking up in early afternoon and taking her meal in her room, she had gone through the administrative part of her duties, until she had noticed something unusual, a request for a private meeting.

Now, after accepting and taking a few minutes for some token tiding up, she was ready for her guest. Her door opened automatically when he approached and the human prodigy couldn't resist raising a brow all the way up at the spectacle.

Like many others, she had almost believed Morvex's armor had been permanently grafted on his body. The reploid in question seemed a completely different person without his massive shell of black defense. Nervous, unsure, fidgety. Ciel almost voiced her thoughts. To her, he looked as if he expected Copy X to barge in through a wall, or something of similar magnitude.

"Morvex", she greeted ambivalently, nodding at a chair prepared for him. While she could tell he was here for a serious reason, she couldn't and wouldn't dismiss her usual mannerisms. To her, every Resistance reploid was part of her family and her responsibility. She genuinely cared for them all.

He accepted, sat down and proceeded to nervously pass a hand through his curly blond hair, before realizing what he was doing and stopping. His eyes met Ciel's own and he sighed, finally managing to put himself together.

"Last time we talked, I provided you with as much information about Neo-Arcadia as I could", he started, prompting the young scientist to nod.

"The data has been invaluable, especially during the most recent crisis", she acknowledged.

Morvex closed his eyes for a second, collecting his thoughts, then went on. "It is about these kidnappings that I came to talk to you. I believe I have an idea about what happened, about why somebody would betray the Resistance."

That last line instantly put Ciel on guard. "I don't recall ever saying anything about traitors", she riposted.

The reploid shook his head, almost amused. "And yet you have theorized about one, or you have heard somebody else do so."

She decided to concede the point. "Zero is pretty convinced it was an inside job and his arguments have been rock-solid", she confessed. "And yet I find it hard to believe somebody would do that."

Morvex sighed heavily. "And yet I myself have already done something similar twice in the past."

The visage plastered on Ciel's face was truly priceless.

**-c-c-**

The first conscious thought that formed in her mind was a promise to herself to never again lick an exposed power outlet.

Some introspection later, she remembered that that had been a dream and yet she still felt as if a surge of enormous power had boiled her logic centers down to spam.

Remembering how to hear took a few more seconds, but she finally managed to discern two distinct voices having a conversation close by.

"…completely crazy to try that stunt. But I guess that's pretty normal for you, mister legend."

The response heavily implied a frown. "You are just being an idiot Cerveau. A bit of impromptu field surgery is hardly remarkable…"

Said engineer chortled. "Sure, Zero. Ripping essential parts off your body and transplanting them in nearly dead patients. With nothing more than a saber and your own spit to use as glue. Everyday staff, really."

The red hunter sighed. "It seems I forgot to consult my nonexistent array of choices, back there. She was withering away as I watched, Cerveau. Plus I was never in any danger. Whoever made me was a downright paranoid maniac. Three redundant nanite cores in different positions. The one I removed has already regenerated in full."

Cerveau smirked. "The truly unbelievable thing is it actually worked. Something as personal as a nanite core should have never been accepted by her body. And yet here she is. At full health, through no help of my own. It seems she now shares part of your freakish self-repair powers as well", he commented, shaking his head in disbelief. "I expect her to wake any moment."

Zero's voice was full of amusement. "Oh, she's been pretending to be asleep for some time now."

That jolted Alouette back to full awareness. Everything rushed back. Phantom, the ruined Megacity, the wolf and its dogs, Zero's arrival, the confession about her age.

The kiss.

Completely mortified, she promptly grabbed the blanket covering her, tugging it so that it would totally conceal her face. In her mind, said face was glowing red enough to penetrate even the thick material.

"Hey, girl, what's the matter?" asked Cerveau, equally amused and curious about her reaction.

Alouette willed herself to vanish, or at least have the bed swallow her. Perhaps if she hid well, they might forget her long enough to allow her to come to terms with what had happened, she reasoned.

No such luck. "She seems to feel a bit antisocial right now", quipped Zero. He was sounding positively amused.

"Leave her to her nefarious designs?" joked Cerveau, eagerly joining in.

"Sure, let her plot to her heart's content. She knows where to find me, anyway", finished Zero, and they both walked out.

Alone and feeling more embarrassed than ever, Alouette sighed, uncovering her face. Zero was supposed to be her mentor, but she wasn't sure she could ever muster the courage to face him again. She could only think of one word to express her situation.

"Fudgebunnies!"

**-c-c-**

It was a mark of her character that she recovered her composition almost promptly. "Explain", demanded Ciel evenly, a hard glint in her eyes, previously absent.

Morvex did not look at her. "Project Ourovoros," he started, spitting the name like deadly poison. "The specifics are beyond me, but, simply put, it's a research program created to develop sleeper agents unaware of their function. The agent is first weaned into a deadly, efficient machine. They learn of combat, of espionage and of assassination. Their loyalty to X is meant to be unwavering."

"You were one of them, then?" asked Ciel, in equal parts mortified and intrigued.

Morvex nodded. "When one of us is ready, they inject a secondary personality in our minds. In fact, our bodies are custom-made to support such a swap. Our main personality goes to sleep and we become unaware. Our new selves are placed in situations where it is very probable to end up joining the Resistance."

Ciel's face went pale at that. "The perfect agent is one ignorant of his status", she whispered.

The blond reploid snorted. "Indeed. Especially since a single command word, spoken by the right voice, can unleash the main personality. Secondaries are constructed with deliberate mental shortcomings that the main one can exploit, assimilating them and taking over at once. Turning against people that had been your friends, your siblings just a second ago…"

"How horrible", breathed the young scientist. "Did you also…?" She was only partly successful in her effort to hide her pity.

Morvex snarled, his fingers leaving imprints on his chair's rim. "Do you really want to know that I am responsible for the death of two whole Resistance branches? Do you really want to hear how I was compelled to kill them all? How later one of my secondary personalities, discarded and thought to be powerless, managed to revolt? How it turned around and assimilated the main one, forever living with all memory of its actions?

Eyes wide and arm extended as if to hold him, Ciel tried to placate him to no avail. "I.."

He viciously interrupted her. "I need nobody's compassion, doctor. I have learned the hard way that only strength, mental and physical, matters!"

Taking a deep breath, Morvex managed to calm down, returning to his surly self. "It doesn't matter anymore. And if you were to ask me to leave after what you have heard, I wouldn't blame you, either. What's important is that it was another sleeper agent that abducted those two. For the first time, Neo-Arcadia has managed to plant one in the Core."

Her good day thoroughly ruined, Ciel rubbed her temples. "How can you tell?"

The normally black-clad reploid sighed wearily, somewhat relieved despite himself she had yet to throw him out. "I thought I was the only one, until I heard Phantom's message some time ago. Sleepers can hear sounds in the subsonic range and that message contained the activation phrase and a set of commands. Heavily encrypted, of course, but there nonetheless. Secondary personalities cannot comprehend it, either, but the primary one can. There are limits to what it can do without full control, but can act through a form of guided sleepwalking."

Very overwhelmed, Ciel shook her head. "I'm not going to reject you just because of your past, especially a past you had had no say in. You should have explained it sooner, though."

Morvex looked down, uncharacteristically feeling very vulnerable. "Even so, I wasn't even sure where the agent had infiltrated. Phantom's little speech reached everywhere. I never seriously considered the possibility of him or her being here."

Recovering a bit, she started brainstorming. "The question now is what we should do about it. Would an examination reveal the agent? From what you've told me, your design is pretty non-standard, having to support and store more than one personalities."

The former agent shook his head. "Not without some serious dismantling all around. Everything non-standard is secreted away."

"Perhaps we could decrypt Phantom's orders then…"

Morvex sighed. "Won't work. The sample is too small and he must be giving orders in other ways. In fact, I believe that first order was to arrange a different communication method. I think we should tell Zero. In fact, you and Zero are the only two completely trustworthy people right now. You, because you are human and the leader, and Zero, because he could have crushed us already otherwise."

Trying to ignore the reminder of what would have happened should Zero had gone against them, Ciel dismissed that idea. "Perhaps after we have something more concrete. Zero is big on prevention measures. If he learns there is a sleeper agent loose, he'll put this base on lockdown forever. No, we need more information first."

Both human and reploid shared a deep sigh and continued searching for ideas, even as the night caught up with them.

**-c-c-**

Fourth guardian Leviathan sighed as Phantom suddenly appeared in her current office. Said room was very plain compared to her normal private space, but the base she was currently inspecting wasn't exactly new or essential.

"You will have to do better than that," she chided, her attempt at levity somewhat feeble. The blue guardian still didn't want to believe something was wrong with the ninja, didn't want to believe that her brother had changed so rapidly. All of them were different after all, just as life in Neo-Arcadia had become harsher.

"I did not intend to be unnoticed," commented the other levelly, though there was a spark of… of something in his tone.

Leviathan couldn't tell for sure, but any show of emotion in her estranged sibling was welcome. "So, how can I help you, Phantom?"

A pause followed, in which the ninja seemed to extend his senses. At length, he replied. "What I say will not become official until resolution, but Master X is preparing an all out assault against the Resistance Core. I am here to brief you, though your part is mainly defensive."

The other guardian raised a brow. "We know of a definite location? I thought that was the main hurdle in such a plan."

Phantom nodded slowly, casually retrieving a hilt from his belt and motioning for silence. "I'm also in charge of narrowing down the position, though the attack will happen either way." Instead of an energy blade, liquid metal erupted from the hilt, solidifying to form a simple, slightly glowing katana. "You have some Resistance prisoners kept here, I believe. I'll interrogate them along with the spy by your doorway," he went on, throwing the blade through the closed door and eliciting a shriek of pain. "She'll need some medical attention though, since I just severed her spine," he finished, somewhat pleasantly.

Leviathan was already at the door, casually removing and tossing the sword back to its owner, who caught and deactivated it. Her eyes went wide at the person behind it. Brown hair, framing a usually serious and composed face, which was contorted in pain.

"Rouge!" she breathed, caught between rage, astonishment and sadness. The spying equipment in the operator reploid's hands was damning proof, but Leviathan still couldn't believe her personal assistant of six months was a mole.

Rouge looked at her unafraid, smiling in pain. "Sorry general."

Seeing red at the mocking behavior, she kicked the downed reploid hard enough to launch her off the ground and knock her out. She almost went to pummel her again, then stopped, took a deep breath and, agonizingly slowly, unclenched her fists. "Get her to a cell," she ordered the three pantheons that had been attracted to the commotion, her voice cracking a bit.

Ignoring the contemptuous gaze of her brother, she left her office, retreating to her quarters and locking herself in. Phantom contemplated going after her to finish her briefing, then thought better of it. Even brainwashed, he still retained a semblance of self-preservation and an emotional Leviathan could be nastily lethal.

**-c-c-**

"Information segregation," deadpanned Morvex, drawing a sigh from Ciel. It was almost midnight, but a combination of her sleeping in and her usual caffeine intake, meant she could go on for hours. Instead of tired, she thus felt weary.

"Is this the best we can think? I already make sure knowledge of missions is on a need-to-know basis, but there is a certain laxness during the actual operation days. I'd hate to get the soldiers briefed at the last moment, en route to danger."

The black knight reploid shook his head. "It will be a good start, but not enough. We also need to start false rumors about decoy missions. Lies within truths and truths within lies. Distinguish who knows what and we can narrow down the sleeper." He hesitated a bit at that. "I can help to a point, but I'm… not an expert at misdirection of such scale."

Ciel looked down. "It should be solely my responsibility, but I'm really far more comfortable in a lab than on a podium, Morvex. Such shadow games make me uneasy."

The reploid's merciless attitude oozed out, despite his pensive mood. "Still naïve in accord to your age, doctor?" Her glare made him bite his lip in amusement. Valiant her intimidation attempt might have been, but Ciel was no crimson demon. Speaking of which… "We could still involve Zero. Memory issues or not, I bet he knows how to run shadow ops far better than any of us. The way he mellowed out the kidnapping story was sublime."

Ciel's eyes goggled at that. "You know that...?" she tried, then stopped and sighed. "You know now," she deadpanned.

Morvex smirked. "Indeed. He was so good, I couldn't find any flaws or holes… but you, that is."

The young scientist frowned. "As I said, not my strong point." She went on, feeling miserable. "Zero would suspend all real operations and start a shadow war with five different decoys per mission. He'd also watch everyone like a starved hawk. I know a bit of his history. Paranoia is strong in this one, but Zero lacks the temperament, the polish his full memories would provide. I insist we first try on our own."

Her new subordinate shrugged. "Your call doctor. I just hope we can achieve something before another disaster strikes."

**-c-c-**

Zero, his mood light after the successful double rescue, was walking down a corridor, when hints of commotion reached his ears. With Siri and Isis having started an impromptu 'game' of brutal phase tag, after an off-color comment from the second, he was alone and idle, easily attracted to the noise.

Old as it was, the factory the Resistance was using for headquarters was rather spacious. Many rooms and corridors were rarely used or unsuitable for most purposes. One such room, and a big one at that, had been turned into a crude shooting range, usually providing some much needed target practice to what barely qualified as militia.

On occasion, though, it became the centre of various events, like a shooting competition.

"I rather doubt that bet of yours will be any good, Bolthor. I only have a few talents, but accuracy has been programmed into every component of my body." Michael's words were barely boastful. If anything, he was puzzled at the other reploid's insistence.

Bolthor chuckled. "That would be true if I were your opponent. I have never been accused of being a marksman, after all." His joke, such as it was, elicited some mirth from the rest of the crowd around them, all forty reploids that were-hopefully- off duty.

The sniper rolled his eyes at that, even though he was smiling. He was the first with enough awareness, or paranoia, to spot Zero and he slightly nodded to him, but quickly returned to the matter at hand. "So you say, but your appointed champion doesn't look all that enthusiastic."

Almost invisible next to Bolthor's girth, Bianka bit her lip. "I am a decent shot, but are you sure you want to risk so many credits on me?" she asked timidly.

Bolthor slapped her on the back playfully and she would have stumbled if he hadn't drawn her in a hug afterwards. "It's just credits, dear. You are a brilliant shot, not just good. And anyway, it won't even be the two of you," he proclaimed, scanning his surroundings for any challengers. Some reploids looked at each other nervously, but no one stepped forth, to the gray-armored giant's disappointment.

Michael, on the other hand, was more subtle. "Oh well, it seems everyone else around here passed on the targeting software in favor of jaw speed. I must have heard more boasting today than the four Guardians do in a month. Including shopping-mode Leviathan, too."

With evidence of both laughter and embarrassment, everyone seemed to be getting pumped up, when a voice came from almost below Bolthor.

"This unit has the correct software to participate. Disregarding master Michael and mistress Bianka, this unit's odds at surpassing any other potential competitors are 98.6 percent." Nephar, up until them as good as invisible, caused a new row of smiles and grumblings.

Bolthor laughed aloud. "I don't doubt it, little guy. You are on, right Bianka?"

The white-clad ninja nodded, somewhat bolder, and that was all it took to prompt another five reploids from stepping forth resolutely. During the following comment and betting storm, Bolthor finally noticed Zero, who was inconspicuously leaning at the room's far wall, enjoying the spectacle. "Here to join, Zero?" he asked, only half serious.

The red hunter let a smirk touch his lips. "No, not really. I wouldn't want to scare away all these eager participants. Not that they can hold a candle to the two main player, though I'm not sure about Nephar."

The green metool joined them. "This unit is also unsure of the outcome. In anticipation of this unit's next mission, its skills must remain up to specifications."

Zero appeared a tad sheepish. "I complete neglected to take you along during the last mission, but things went a bit hectic."

Nephar bobbed its helmet up and down. "This unit requires no justification of the master's choices. It will remain idle until needed. For future reference, this unit comes equipped with a miniature first aid kit for on-site repairs."

The red legend cringed a bit at that, nodding to Bianka when she approached. "I still think the stakes are too much, Bolthor," she noted.

Having heard it all before, Zero decided to intervene on Bolthor's behalf. "Credits are somewhat irrelevant here in the wastelands, Bianka. Instead, view this little trial as confirmation of your abilities. I have seen you fight and you have my respect. Now it s time for the rest of the Resistance to acknowledge you. We believe in you even when you falter and, most times, that's all victory requires."

"Damn right!" added Bolthor, somewhat unnecessarily, for Bianka had blinked then nodded, her eyes and focus narrowing. It was not the timid girl, usually hiding behind her partner, that stepped forward in the shooting range, but the warrior woman that had stood next to the crimson hunter, fearlessly fighting an extremely lethal hydragon mechaniloid.

Michael eyed Bianka, then Zero with wonder. "I don't know what you did, but I fear you just made this competition more interesting than I could ever hope."

Zero regarded the floor thoughtfully. "She just needs a confidence boost from time to time, that's all," he explained absentmindedly, as the first of many applauding rounds erupted around them.

**-c-c-**

**End of chapter 34**

A/N: Why not randomly continue this story and stun all you of little faith?

While I still like megaman, I confess there has been little activity as far as new games are concerned, which means little inspiration. I personally despised the 'new' 8-bit classic megaman games. I understand the retro nostalgia, but it's a huge cope out when Capcom could have spent real money to make a true 2010 game, that would bring new blood in the fan base. Everyone whining about how good graphics 'harm' gameplay can't quite grasp that bad programming is the real culprit, not 3d or high res. Point in case, go play Trine. I'd kill for such a game in any megaman series. Also, Megaman online is still just a teaser, legends 3 is a 'community assisted effort', a.k.a. bullshit until it happens and ZX3, X9 and starforce 4 are still in mirage stage. Not to mention fan sites are dying out every day.

End rand, go chapter comments.

You might have noticed a style change around the last third of this chapter. I wrote the first two thirds a long time ago and my writing is bound to have changed, hopefully for the best.

I expect the whole Alouette plot to receive mixed reactions. Is she 8? 33? Somewhere in between? Does not compute? Many will hate it, many will like it, some won't care. Oh well, I had it planned ages ago.

Project Ourovoros: Sleeper agents are nothing new in popular fiction, but the closest in megaman was Double, who wasn't really a 'sleeper' at all, and perhaps Sigma. As for the name, I had it decided before even ZXA was announced. Albert's little doom construct having the same name is coincidence.

About my truckload of characters: They are a lot, yes, and not everyone is fully developed. Some dislike that, but I mean it to be so. I don't think there are many who would like to read Pierott's story (That human that blew up Weil's castle back in chapter 2, and got a tree in his name) or Aug's (Fefnir's new tech support, 4 chapters back) memoirs, or even Tone and Pulse's past before the elf wars. Even if some asked, it would clutter down the story, and it's already a bit slow. These are all tertiary characters. Many stories have such people, who are only important in the here and now, whether to save the day briefly, die horribly or just fill space and roles. In the games themselves you almost forget there is pretty much civil war going on. A key-position grunt just can't have the same amount of personality as, say, Ciel or Zero.

Anyway, welcome back old readers, welcome new readers and all of you enjoy. Also, tell me what you think. Next update sometime within the next decade… hopefully.

Edit: So apparently ffnet was screwed up for a while there. Reuploaded to make sure everything is fine. Sorry for any double alerts.


	35. Solitude's dusk

**Chapter 35: Solitude's dusk**

**-c-c-**

The cell was a simple affair. Eight cubic meters of empty space, enclosed by reinforced metal. A single gate, securely sealed by its own weight. A forcefield security system, usually turned off except during lockdown, to decrease power consumption.

Despite her hopeless position, Rouge felt bored. The chestnut-haired operator had woken up hours ago and, apart from some groans from nearby cells, she had no other proof she wasn't the last alive person in the world.

"Don't go crazy yet, girl," she muttered, shaking her head a bit. One cannot tap into a reploid's brain as easily as one can hack a database and so, when high-tech options do not apply, interrogators fall back to older methods. Prevent a reploid from going to sleep mode, lock their pain receptors to 'on' and suddenly you are dealing with yet another human mind, only with a sturdier body.

"I can deal with isolation. I like being alone…" Of course Rouge usually had something to occupy her mind during her 'me' times, commonly some old book file. Currently, she would have given her left hand for a digital copy of 'Crime and punishment'.

"Talking to oneself is the second sign of madness, dear co-inmate…"

The female voice, calm and smooth as it was, managed to scare her out of her wits. Jumping high enough to hit her head on the ceiling, the unfortunate Resistance spy let something inarticulate between a gasp and a curse leave her lips.

"Opposite cell."

Following the instruction, Rouge gazed through her cell bars at another prisoner, occupying said cell. She possessed the dubious honor of having yet the most generic reploid face and built she had ever seen. Rouge wasn't exactly impressionable in appearance, but compared to her new company, she looked downright exotic.

"Who are you? Where did you come from?" demanded Rouge, still disorientated. She had checked that cell many times before, futilely hoping for sentient contact. She wondered whether she had zoned out so badly, she had missed both the newcomer and her obligatory guard escort.

"I am many things, coming from many places. Yet also nothing and nowhere at all. If you actually meant to ask me something as boring as my name, the answer is Iluzuli."

Rouge blinked owlishly at that, mouthing the foreign, to her, name. It failed to ring any bells, but she was still somewhat frazzled. "Rouge," she replied automatically. The strange reploid was lying on her cell's rough floor on her back, as if it was a luxurious bed, looking totally at ease. The Resistance reploid shrugged, guessing that any company in her situation was better than none at all. "What is then the first sign of madness if talking to oneself is the second?"

Iluzuli lazily brushed imaginary lint from her plain, nondescript outfit. "Existing, naturally," she replied somewhat dreamily.

**-c-c-**

"You are a tough reploid to find."

Alouette took in a deep breath, for once startled that someone had used her favorite pastime-sneaking- on her. She guessed she must have been in too deep a contemplation to miss their coming.

Polite and calm as it was, the voice did not relent. "Brooding is unbecoming of you. Had I known you were already awake, I would have come earlier." Small arms, still larger than her own, wrapped around her and squeezed in gentle affection.

Before even trying to respond, Alouette made doubly sure her inhibitors were active. It just wouldn't do to crush one of her two most important people by accident. "Ciel…" she tried, a bit powerlessly.

"It is quite past both our bedtime, but I believe we can allow for an exception, yes?" For the small reploid, Ciel voice was like a soothing balm. In the safety of her mind, Alouette had decided she needed to show her surrogate mother she had grown, if only a little. That she was not eight anymore, that she could be more than just the insecure, doe-eyed urchin Ciel had rescued years back.

"We both woke up mere hours ago," she breathed. Inwardly, she hated how meek she sounded. She was burning with desire to prove herself, to protect Ciel and make her proud. And yet, her supposedly adult mindset, her determination, her strength, all evaporated under the soft touch and soothing voice of the human prodigy.

'Caught in my own web of lies. Coward. Nothing but a pitiful little girl with delusions of normalcy,' she mouthed silently, trying not to break down crying, trying not to be more of a burden.

Of course, Ciel rightly caught her mood, completely missing the causes. While the young scientist possessed a great deal of empathy, despite her self-proclaimed social failings, she always had a blind spot for people close to her. "It's ok to cry," she cooed, prompting Alouette to do just that. "You were all alone; you had a harsh time. Perhaps you can tell me about it. It will make you feel better."

It couldn't have been farther from the truth. Alouette's ordeal had been harsh, but she had survived on her own long enough for Zero to come. There would be nightmares of wolves, perhaps, or even of Phantom, but Zero had prepared her well, if subtly. Fear's hold on her was very precarious, because she had precious people to protect and a teacher to make proud.

Even as artificial tears made Ciel's clothes damp, Alouette wanted to laugh. At herself, at how clueless Ciel was; Laugh long and hard, until all reason was lost, then laugh some more, so intoxicated that even the cause of her mirth would flee her mind.

She should stop it right there. Distance herself from Ciel; thank her for everything; proclaim her real age along with her eternal loyalty, not to any cause but to Ciel herself; request, nay, demand a new body, an adult body, so that she can really help, so that she can become more than just a baby, more than just someone in need of protection.

She did nothing of that sort. Ciel's skin on her own, Ciel's comfortable smell, Ciel's mere presence were all working against her, reducing her monuments of resolve to sandcastles swept by the tide.

Alouette woke up some time later, only to find Ciel asleep in her arms, right there on the floor of the storage room she had foolishly hidden in. She gently brushed her hand on the human's face, though Ciel remained dead to the world, deep in her slumber.

She felt content and guilty at the same time, ultimately undecided. "One day you will see me, the true me. Will it break you, I wonder, to know I have been lying to both you and myself for years? Will it break me?"

With no answer forthcoming, Alouette sighed, releasing a tiny part of her constantly increasing power and gently lifting the larger body off the floor. The tiny reploid marveled and fretted at how light Ciel was, how frail she felt in her grip.

"One day…" she repeated, stealthily reaching Ciel's room and tucking the sleeping girl in her bed, a reversal of roles she would later deny.

**-c-c-**

"Have you got a smoke?"

Rouge groaned at the plain absurdity of the situation. Iluzuli had been silent for hours, only to utter perhaps the most cliché question in the history of incarceration.

"I don't smoke," she replied, unable to keep the harsh edge off her voice.

"Good, neither do I. Were you a human you'd live longer."

The Resistance spy couldn't quite stop herself from snorting. She'd be lucky if she survived the day. Or unlucky, if Phantom was involved. In truth, she wasn't sure how to handle her dubious companion. She was used to dealing with silliness or bubbliness or naiveté. Her best friend, Joan, who was also her worst rival, was all of the above, but this was different. Despite warring all the time, they had been friends, before their competition had nearly blown up the Resistance's fourth branch, and she certainly hadn't been insane.

Commander Elisa had decided to separate them, sending Joan to the fifty-fifth branch and keeping Rouge close. She had been saddened, especially since they couldn't communicate very often, but also relieved. Rouge was a very competitive person. Without Joan to antagonize her, she had begun applying to riskier jobs than an operator might expect, reveling in the challenge, until…

"When you frown like that, you remind me of a painting I once saw…"

Train of recollection derailed, Rouge eyed Iluzuli carefully. "Which painting was it?" As a rule, art and especially its history, rarely survive apocalyptic events gracefully…

"I believe the painter was called Pika-so. Some say he was a mouse artist, yet others swear he was an electric human. Much controversy…"

Rouge must have unconsciously decided a headache was appropriate, because, artificial body or not, her head started hurting. "I think we can officially declare you insane," she quipped, expecting a denial.

Iluzuli nodded eagerly. "That's fair I suppose. I do display the first 128 signs of madness, after all."

The operator turned spy bumped her head on her cell's wall fairly hard. Perhaps oblivion would do her some good.

"You might want to try harder if you need to avoid the impending visit. I'll leave you two alone."

Rouge opened her eyes, mentally preparing an eye roll, only to find the opposite cell empty. "I'm not crazy," she muttered pathetically, just before a new presence entered the room. "Leviathan!" she breathed.

The blue general of the Mei Kai army stood before her cell, larger than life, although there was weariness weighting her down. "Rouge," she returned neutrally. "Let's talk."

**-c-c-**

"I swear, the metool was somehow cheating," groused Michael, chugging down half his alcoholic beverage. Indulging like this, or even losing his composure, were both rare occasions, but nobody that had watched the competition dared comment.

Alcohol was both cheap and effective on reploids, causing similar effects as to humans, although synthetic lifeforms usually had a bit more tolerance. Case in point, Bolthor, who had enough in his body to kill an ox and had merely started stuttering.

"Sore l-loser. You got second place!"

The sniper frowned. "I tied with your girlfriend, Bolthor. I know I am no match for her at close range, but I thought I was better at aiming." Despite that result, he didn't really begrudge the purple and white armored ninja. She was a gentle person, after all, and delicate, even though she could probably snap him in half if motivated. Instead, he glared at the green metool, currently residing on the aforementioned ninja's lap.

"Smug little bastard, he's smirking at me," he muttered, causing Bolthor to almost fall on the floor.

"He doesn't even have a pr-proper face, Mike," reminded the gray giant amidst bouts of laughter.

Michael glared at Nephar again, then blinked, his face paling. For a moment, he had thought he had seen the metool sticking a giant tongue out of its fanged jaws at him. "That's quite enough for me," he muttered, eyeing his drink, before tossing it away and somehow nailing Viny, the cook, right on the forehead.

Zero had given up on alcohol when he had realized his body broke it down faster than he could chug it down, and was merely enjoying the ensuing chaos. Viny on the warpath was a sight indeed. He had also noticed Morvex was nowhere to be seen, but had dismissed the notion anything was wrong. He didn't quite trust the black-armored reploid, but he could work with him.

Deciding he had socialized enough for tonight, he proceeded to go on a patrol outside. After all, Alouette would usually meet him there and he knew that, joking aside, she would want to talk to him.

**-c-c-**

"Talk?" echoed Rouge without looking the other reploid in the eyes. "I don't think I have much to say."

Leviathan's face seemed to sport a permanent frown. "You betrayed me, Rouge. You were my best tech student two years back, before you vanished. When you reappeared six months ago, I never thought you had joined the Resistance."

Rouge shrugged. "As you taught me, it's easy to fake background information if you know the system. I only had to make sure you noticed my return. You taking me as an assistant was a given."

The azure general shook her head. "You don't even deny you have joined the mavericks."

The Resistance spy looked at Leviathan's eyes for the first time, braving her harsh blue gaze, then laughed mirthlessly. "Listen to yourself, parroting propaganda like that. You know very well there hasn't been a maverick for centuries. We are not infected or possessed and this is not a battle against evil, general. This is civil war and we are on the defensive."

If Leviathan had just had a personal revelation, it certainly did not show. "You are the ones that started this civil war, Rouge, and at the worst possible moment. Do you think no innocents, humans and reploids, have died because of your actions? Do you have any idea how much energy and how many lives this whole mess is costing us?"

Rouge almost leaned through her bars, now angry. "You shouldn't have opted for genocide, then," she growled. Leviathan tried to counter that, but her former student didn't let her. "No, you listen to me! I have seen how you do it. I was never in danger because I'm good at what I do. Many of my friends weren't, though. They would be arrested for some petty, frivolous reason, then they would just vanish. Nobody knew anything, until I hacked into a secure database and saw the truth. The plan was to just kill eighty percent of the reploid population, based on ability!"

Fairy sighed wearily. "Sacrifices had to be made, or we would all die…"

The spy snorted. "I didn't see you offing any humans. Neo-Arcadia was founded on equality regardless of race, after all. You should have tried other methods, fourth guardian Leviathan!"

"We did!" All fight seemed to leave the other reploid. Abandoning her intimidating stance, she sat down on the floor, lightly hugging her knees and looking past Rouge. "Ciel knows some of it, but I'm not surprised she doesn't spread it. First we tried putting some of the population to hibernation. Problem is, only reploids can do it. Humans on cryonics consume more energy than when awake. So, of course, reploids didn't want to go to sleep, while many humans were stupidly asking to."

Rouge cringed. "That's… pretty bad."

Leviathan ignored her. "We then tried some engineered variety of weed. It was nasty, but grew fast and cheap, and had lots of calories. We couldn't efficiently burn it for power, but humans could safely replace half their diet with it and reploids could live off the stuff indefinitely. We would have been able to stretch our energy resources for twenty more years."

"Another failure?" asked the other, intrigued despite herself.

Leviathan snorted. "Nobody could stand the thing. Humans, I can understand, but we reploids could just turn off our taste sensors. But no! Everyone just kept eating the energy-expensive delicacies or plugged themselves directly on the power grid. Eventually, one of the then common riots happened, burning down the weed farms and the nearby labs, including the data. We'd need a decade to find something that effective again."

Rouge was a bit more guarded now. "It's still not right. How could you not realize killing off people would start a revolt?"

"Master X decided it…" the reply was quiet and almost dejected.

The Resistance operator all but snorted fire. "Like hell he did! Megaman X Light was a paragon of virtue. Everyone knows this is an imposter. You are practically his daughter, how can you not know!"

Leviathan jumped to her feet. "It's him! The people love him even if he has changed. There can be no other explanation. If he hadn't returned, there wouldn't be a Neo-Arcadia now!" she shouted.

Rouge nodded. "I get it. It has to be him, because otherwise you are nothing but a witless mass murderer. I once respected you, Leviathan. Perhaps even loved you. I never had a mother figure other than you and you were good to me." The captured reploid's eyes flashed at that. "But now you are just a puppet of the puppet some complete bastard created."

The general took a deep breath instead of throttling her former subordinate, like she wanted to, though her fingers were twitching. "You are certainly entitled to your opinion. I came here to offer you to become a double agent for me. I would do that for you." Rouge closed her eyes. It was certainly tempting, but she remained silent. "I thought not," continued Leviathan sadly, after a while. "Phantom will start on you in a couple of days, Rouge. It would be a waste. I'll ask you again once more before then," she concluded, turning to leave.

A chill filled Rouge at that point and she shuddered. "Wait!" she cried, freezing the ice general on her tracks. "If you actually care about someone so insignificant as me, then kill me now. You'll be doing me a favor."

Leviathan didn't move for a whole minute, her form hunched. Then she left just slow enough to not seem frantic.

**-c-c-**

"Star-gazing?"

Alouette did not think. Unlike earlier, the voice was just next to her ear module. Zero had to catch a vicious elbow strike, nodding with approval as slid back a little. "Nice form," he half-mocked, half-praised.

The tiny reploid brought her erratic breathing under control and threw a glare at the red hunter, before her embarrassment overruled her ire. Sighing a bit, she returned to her previous position, sitting on a somewhat elevated cement slab, looking at the still dark sky. "What is this, sneak on Alouette day?" she groused.

"You are angry," noticed her mentor, taking his place next to her.

"I noticed neither the mysterious spy nor you, but I guess that's to be expected. Thing is, even Ciel startled me back there," she replied sulkily.

Zero raised a brow. "You didn't react as violently, I gather?" he joked.

Despite the rhetoric question, Alouette couldn't help but shudder at the thought. "I recognized her as a human before I could react," she replied uneasily.

"Did you talk?"

The reploid girl sighed heavily. "Yes… and no," abandoning any pretence of looking at the stars, she gazed at her mentor. "I wanted to tell her… Tell her about myself. About what I am, who I am," she sniffed a bit. "I couldn't, Zero. She thought I was still rattled about getting abducted and I couldn't correct her. I couldn't show her I am a grown-up."

Zero couldn't help it. He laughed at her and she debated kicking him, though she quickly changed her mind, lest the conversation turned into an impromptu spar. "What's so funny?" she demanded instead.

"You are naïve." She tried to complain, but Zero went on. "You throw around important words like 'child' or 'adult', but in the end, you can't really understand them."

Alouette scrunched her face a bit. "What do you mean?"

Zero sighed. "These things are never rigid. Humans start as children, then become adults. Yet all of them have child-like moments, no matter the age. Then you have regular reploids, who usually don't get a childhood. Yet they behave like children just as often."

She blinked at that. "What does that mean? Are you trying to tell me age doesn't matter?" she inquired incredulously.

The crimson hunter shook his head. "Humans need a few years to mature mentally and reploids, though they start better off, also need time to understand what they know. Age is nothing but an indicator of knowledge and experience. Outside of laws, 'child' and 'adult' mean very little."

Alouette looked down. "So what does that make me?" she asked sadly.

In response, he placed a hand on her head, slightly ruffling her hair. "It makes you unique, like anyone else. But that's not what you wanted to ask me, is it?"

Her blush returned with a vengeance. "I'm sorry for… you-know-what you when you found me."

He raised a brow, which vanished under his helmet. "I-know-what?"

"For kissing you!" she all but shouted, before her eyes darted all around them. "It was wrong. Inappropriate. Rude." She added quieter but not less frantically.

Zero closed his eyes. "Yet you are not really sorry, nor should you be," he offered.

"But…but!"

"I believe the words you used were 'one less regret'," he reminded her. "You like your secrets, Alouette. I believe that right then was your most sincere moment to date."

She scoffed childishly. "I thought I was going to die. And now you probably won't want anything to do with me," she added with dread, not denying his claim. In the end that was her greatest concern right then, that Zero would distance himself from her because of awkwardness.

The red warrior shook his head. "Like I said, naïve. Did you think I was completely oblivious? Most people believe me to be a bland automaton, but you should know better."

Alouette paled. "You knew?"

Zero shrugged. "You are certainly not the first female I train. Can't really remember names or faces, but I know what to expect. It often happens with one-to-one training and when teaching in general is involved. Most of it comes from legend and hero-worship, though," he added, his voice sarcastic and a bit self-ridiculing.

The girl went frantic at that. "No no! I admire you for who you are!" her visage fell a bit. "At first I was just seeing the legend, but later… You ended up knowing more about me than anyone else, even Ciel."

After contemplating that a bit, Zero nodded. "That goes both ways. Ciel and I have talked some, but training together teaches you a lot about the other person." Smirking a bit, he added. "Mind you, you were a lot subtler than the random Resistance females that keep dropping hints, or even Ciel herself."

Alouette's eyes goggled at that. "You know about Ciel fancying you?" she exclaimed, blushing at how tactless it came.

Zero raised a brow. "While you might be clocking thirty-three years, I'm close to three centuries, without counting stasis. Memories or not, I have retained some semblance of empathy from my past life."

The reploid girl hugged her knees, trying not to look at him. "So I guess you are interested in neither," she mumbled.

He snorted at that. "Despite all that has happened, both you and Ciel are basically civilians."

She half-glared at him, although she was also curious. "Meaning?"

Zero sighed, albeit pleasantly. "Meaning you still lack a certain paranoid mindset," he replied, although his words were hardly accusing. "You are a fledging warrior, Alouette, but no veteran. Neo-Arcadia will soon realize they can't get at me easily. Anyone close to me will be public enemy number one at that point, in an attempt to break me."

"But what about what YOU think? You told me you had a girlfriend back then. Wasn't she in danger?" riposted Alouette, a bit agitated.

The red warrior shrugged. "I can't remember very much, but I think we had a similar conversation. I simply can't remember enough to risk such a commitment in the middle of open war."

Alouette's response was gloomy. "In other words, you are not interested," she repeated.

Zero smirked. "Both you and Ciel are great friends. When I remember more and you get a bit taller, I'll consider you," he replied, patting her on the head condescendingly.

She pouted at that, turning away. "You still don't take me seriously," she mumbled. A second later she yelped, when something soft and fluffy landed on her head. "What?" she tried, retrieving the item. It was her bunny doll, which she had considered lost forever. "Where? How? It looks like new."

Zero yawned at her excited visage. "Got Cerveau to patch it up. Did you know he sews as a hobby? Thought you'd want it back, but I made some modifications."

Alouette blinked, then regarded the doll again. "It's a bit heavy…" A short inspection later, she found a concealed zipper at its back. The contents left her completely dumbfounded, though. "Is..that…?"

"…a beam saber," finished Zero nonchalantly.

"Orange," she breathed transfixed as she ignited the weapon, coloring the night around them.

"Realized I should have given you one already. Would have saved both of us some trouble and you are more than capable. I also took the liberty to install a resonance chip in you, so that you don't accidentally behead yourself. If fact… " The crimson bomber didn't get to finish that sentence, as Alouette turned the weapon off, then cannonballed at him, hugging him for all she was worth.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you…" she chanted, this time crying out of joy. Beyond even the practical aspect of having a weapon, it meant Zero acknowledged her and trusted her.

Detaching himself from his delighted student, Zero ignited his own saber, setting it on the training level. "After this session, I doubt you'll feel the same," he replied, with fake disdain. They both knew that was untrue.

**-c-c-**

Ciel did devote some time dwelling on how she had been returned to her bed. While the possibility of Alouette didn't even register, she spent whole minutes fantasizing it had been Zero himself, before waking up for good and berating herself for lack of professionalism.

She reached her workstation just in time for a live message from another Resistance branch. That in itself was unusual, because of how careful everyone was to avoid revealing their respective positions. The fact it was Elisa herself calling did not alleviate her worries. The old military base housing the fourth Branch was positioned in the middle of nowhere, right where one of the world's vast deserts met the ocean. The location was petty secure, but Elisa was also known for her caution.

"Ciel here," she responded. "I trust the supplies from the rescue operation are safe?" she asked, hazarding a guess on what was wrong.

Elisa sighed, her short blond hair more frazzled than normal. "There are no issues on that front, doctor. The transport was a complete success and we can barely store all this staff. No, I fear I have made a blunder in a much different case. One of my best spies was caught on the job and she has sensitive information."

The human girl blinked, then frowned, trying to remember. "I wasn't aware your branch had active spies in place."

Elisa bit her lip. "We have kept such information very… private. I apologize for not reporting it, but…"

Ciel interrupted her. "That's fine." She thought about it, then added. "We have some issues with spies ourselves these days and I understand the need for secrecy. Tell me about your agent."

"She's very capable, although quite headstrong and a bit blind when competitive. I assigned her as a spy to general Leviathan, since she used to be one of her best students."

Before she could say more, Cel interrupted her. "Rouge! You are talking about Rouge."

Elisa blinked. "You know her?"

The young scientist sighed, feeling thrice her age. "Only in passing. I didn't even know she was with us. Leviathan talked about her when she first took her under her wing, years back. From the beginning, the general had a soft spot for her. I can only imagine…" she informed. She couldn't help but feel concerned for Leviathan, even though they were enemies. The blue general hardly had any actual friends and, despite everything, Ciel considered her an older, if estranged, sister.

The fourth Branch commander nodded. "That is accurate. The general had assigned her as her personal assistant. In fact, the last update was about an inspection in that naval Neo-Arcadian base close to your position. She missed her last two updates and we received her distress signal briefly."

Ciel nodded slowly. "Either captured, or… I see. What does she know?"

Elisa's face was grave. "Quite a bit I fear. Our Branch's coordinates, of course, but also detailed information about the fifty-fifth branch, where a friend of hers is assigned. She did work as our main operator for some time, so she has intimate knowledge of our codes up to level red, four exploits in your operating system that we often use, as well as general logistics Intel, although a bit outdated."

Ciel felt a headache coming in fast. "Elisa…" she started, somewhat exasperated.

The reploid wilted under her gaze. "I know, I know, she shouldn't have been anywhere near Leviathan, but we needed someone there and there was no one else to send."

The young scientist sighed, regaining her composure. "We'll try to get her out, if she's still alive. Perhaps they don't even know how much she knows. Is she strong-willed enough?"

Elisa nodded fervently. "I'd trust her silence with my life, doctor. She won't betray us as long as her mind is her own. She did manage to send a rough outline of the base, along with some information about other prisoners in her last update." She hesitated a bit. "My whole branch is at your direct command. Anything we can do…"

"No," interrupted Ciel. "To get her out we'll need tact, not an army. What you can do, is prepare our contingency plan. If worse comes to worst, I need your Branch to minimize the damage. Contact anyone that could be compromised, make evacuation plans and keep them in high alert. Start looking in alternative codes. We'll do our best to avoid it coming to that, but…"

"I understand," replied Elisa, sounding apologetic. "Will you be ordering Zero to go?"

Ciel almost laughed in her face. "I don't 'order' Zero, Elisa. I ask him for his opinion and he decides. If anything, he orders the rest of us, never mind his refusal to be given a rank. Even with a portion of his memories, he is ten times more of a strategist than myself."

Elisa nodded, understanding all too well. "I'll keep in touch, doctor. I will make proper amends for my error after the situation is resolved."

Her commander sighed again, then smiled. "Don't blame yourself too much, Elisa. Nobody can avoid such mistakes. Learn from them and do better next time." People that knew Ciel would roll their eyes and suggest she followed her own advice, but Elisa decided against that course of action, slightly mirroring the smile before the connection was terminated.

**-c-c-**

"I spy… something brown!"

Rouge had every right to be startled all the way to the equivalent of a heart attack, but felt too drained to do more than glare at the opposite cell, where Iluzuli had inexplicably reappeared. "Should I even ask how you do this?

The weird girl blinked. "How I do what?"

The caught spy accompanied her word with an eye roll. "How you managed to hide while Leviathan was here," she clarified.

Iluzuli ignored that question. "Something brown?"

Sighing deeply, her co-prisoner decided to go along. "My hair. And yours as well, if it…" she started in a bored tone, then stopped in mid-sentence. "Wait…" she tried. "Your hair was black before. How did you…?"

"She cares about you, doesn't she? She is not a bad person, just misguided."

A bit miffed at the _non __sequitur_, Rouge nonetheless decided to reply. "There is no excuse that can possibly absolve her. People are defined by their actions, after all."

"People are also defined by their environments." Before the former operator could comment, a tiny piece of cardboard landed just outside her cell.

"The Tower," she breathed, lifting the card. "Sign of impending ruin and calamity."

Iluzuli chuckled. "You know to read Tarot cards?" she replied, for once sounding surprised.

Rouge scowled. "Strictly academically. There is no more truth to this thing that there was centuries ago. What I want to know is where you have found something so frivolous. I don't need your 'ill omens' to know I'm in trouble."

"What ill omens?" came the innocent riposte.

The spy matched the other's gaze for a full minute, before she couldn't resist any more. Her eyes went wide as she eyed the card in her hand, which seemed to have changed without explanation.

"The Sun," she whispered.

**-c-c-**

The floor shuddered under his bulk as he walked into his commander's office. "You asked for me, general?"

Leviathan eyed the newcomer expressionless. Blizzack Staggroff was her current second in command, as far as the military side of her duties was concerned. She idly reminded herself to find a replacement for the information side, to take Rouge's position. Ideally, one person should have filled both jobs, but she knew of no one with such qualifications.

"Indeed. I must change my schedule for a reason that will become clear later," she started, referring to Phantom's little project. "However, the inspection of this base must continue."

"Leave it to me, sir," replied the stag-based reploid, bowing.

The blue general sighed. Staggroff was not exactly the sharpest ice pick in the freezer. "Nobody expects you to become a data expert overnight, Staggroff. We will use this excuse to have you remain here longer."

Her subordinate hesitated a bit. "To what end?"

Leviathan smiled. "Rouge managed to send data about this place before she was caught. Even without her here as a prisoner, a Resistance raid is probable."

Finally understanding, the larger reploid nodded. "I will fortify this place to the best of my ability and I will run a few drills. Rouge's replacement can resume the data inspection when the spy has been dealt with."

"Exactly. Stick to your strengths," she agreed, managing not to wince at his somewhat callous attitude towards his former partner. She was about to dismiss him, when another thought came to her mind. "Keep in mind that you might need to fight at some point."

"I will eagerly use what you have taught me and put myself to the line, general," he replied easily.

An eye-roll accompanied Leviathan's response. "Fight against Zero himself," she clarified.

Staggroff's face was not built to show a wealth of expressions, but she had to try not to laugh at how unnerved he looked. Zero had wormed himself into the minds of everyone in Neo-Arcadia as some kind of shadowy, supernatural agent of chaos, against which there was no hope of victory. "That… doesn't faze me," was his unsure answer, still very brave compared to the bedlam she had seen among the ranks.

Leviathan sighed, leaving her seat and slowly walking around her subordinate like a tiger on the prowl. "You are of course required to either win or die. Zero is to be treated as a maverick, at least for now." She stopped behind him and leaned, her next words a whisper. "Yet, off the record, you have permission to flee if there is no hope of victory. No sense in hopelessly wasting you on something that might eventually prove to be a misunderstanding."

She resumed walking, returning to her desk while eyeing him carefully. She was taking a risk here, of course. Copy X or Phantom would readily brand her a traitor. Still she decided to follow Fefnir's example for once. Her big oaf of a brother had doctored his report concerning the shuttle incident and it was only because of her subtle intervention he hadn't been caught. She'd inform him of that little factoid sometime she'd need a favor, she decided.

Returning to the here and now, Leviathan eyed her subordinate carefully. There was fear there, of course, and gratitude, but also indignation and determination. Would he follow her advice, or would he try to prove her wrong? It could go either way.

"Dismissed…"

**-c-c-**

**End of chapter 35.**

A/N: And, lo! Another chapter this year. Could it possibly become a trend? That was pretty much a setup chapter. Alouette's issues were, if not concluded, temporary resolved, a new character was introduced (hopefully causing some mirth to you people) and we are ready for the next mission. After Staggroff is out, it's time for the giant mechaniloid fight and Fefnir!

Until next time and don't forget to review. Be sure to tell me what you think of Iluzuli. Hopefully ffnet won't start spazzing out again like last time.


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